I.C.U

Dialysis

Dialysis is a treatment that filters and purifies the blood using a machine. This helps keep your fluids and electrolytes in balance when the kidneys can't do their job. Dialysis has been used since the 1940s to treat people with kidney problems.

Dialysis works by filtering toxins, waste and fluid from your blood through a semipermeable membrane. The 2 types of dialysis, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, use different methods to filter blood. With hemodialysis, the filtering membrane is called a dialyzer and is inside a dialysis machine.

The most common side effects of hemodialysis include low blood pressure, access site infection, muscle cramps, itchy skin, and blood clots. The most common side effects of peritoneal dialysis include peritonitis, hernia, blood sugar changes, potassium imbalances, and weight gain.