Peritoneal Dialysis

Peritoneal dialysis

(PD) is a treatment for patients with severe chronic kidney failure. The process uses the patient's peritoneum in the abdomen as a membrane across which fluids and dissolved substances (electrolytes, urea, glucose, albumin and other small molecules) are exchanged from the blood. Fluid is introduced through a permanent tube in the abdomen and flushed out either every night while the patient sleeps (automatic peritoneal dialysis) or via regular exchanges throughout the day (continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis). P D is used as an alternative to hemodialysis though it is far less common. It has comparable risks and expenses, with the primary advantage being the ability to undertake treatment without visiting a medical facility. The primary complication with PD is a risk of infection due to the presence of a permanent tube in the abdomen.

Three Types of Peritoneal Dialysis Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) If you choose CAPD, you’ll drain a fresh bag of dialysis solution into your abdomen. After 4 to 6 or more hours of dwell time, you’ll drain the solution, which now contains wastes, into the bag. You then repeat the cycle with a fresh bag of solution. You don’t need a machine for CAPD; all you need is gravity to fill and empty your abdomen. Your doctor will prescribe the number of exchanges you’ll need, typically three or four exchanges during the day and one evening exchange with a long overnight dwell time while you sleep.

Continuous Cycler-Assisted Peritoneal Dialysis (CCPD) CCPD uses an automated cycler to perform three to five exchanges during the night while you sleep. In the morning, you begin one exchange with a dwell time that lasts the entire day.

Intermittent Peritoneal Dialysis (IPD) Intermittent peritoneal dialysis (IPD) is an old PD modality applied for as long as 40 h per week using high volumes of PD fluid, but it has almost been abandoned due to its low solute clearances. However, IPD might be the only option for elderly dialysis patients with significant co morbidities, unable to undergo haemodialysis (HD) or PD at home without any assistance, for various reasons.