Dialysis | Nucleus Health

Summary

This video explains the process of dialysis, a treatment for kidney failure that removes waste and excess fluids from the body. It covers two types of dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis uses a machine to filter the blood outside the body through an access site, while peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of the abdomen to filter waste without removing blood. The video details the procedures for creating vascular access sites and implanting a catheter, as well as how each type of dialysis works to cleanse the body and restore health.

Takeaways

• 😀 Dialysis is a medical procedure that helps remove waste products from the blood when kidneys are not functioning properly.
• 😀 Healthy kidneys filter waste, excess fluid, and electrolytes (like potassium and sodium) from the blood, which are then excreted as urine.
• 😀 Kidney disease causes kidneys to lose their ability to filter, leading to the accumulation of harmful wastes and excess fluid in the body.
• 😀 Dialysis can also be used to treat acute kidney failure, which occurs when kidneys stop working suddenly.
• 😀 Hemodialysis involves using a machine called a dialyzer to clean the blood outside the body.
• 😀 A vascular access site is created for hemodialysis, either an arterovenous graft or fistula, to allow blood flow for dialysis.
• 😀 In hemodialysis, blood is cleaned through filtering fibers and a cleaning solution called dialysate before being returned to the body.
• 😀 In peritoneal dialysis, the peritoneal membrane in the abdomen is used to filter blood without removing it from the body.
• 😀 A soft tube called a catheter is implanted near the belly button for peritoneal dialysis, through which dialysate enters and leaves the abdomen.
• 😀 Both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis aim to remove waste and excess fluid, improving the patient's health and managing kidney failure symptoms.

Q & A

What is dialysis and why might a doctor recommend it?

Dialysis is a procedure that removes waste products from the blood when the kidneys are not functioning properly. A doctor may recommend dialysis to treat kidney disease, remove harmful waste, excess fluid, and regulate electrolytes like potassium and sodium.

What functions do healthy kidneys perform?

Healthy kidneys filter out waste, excess fluid, and electrolytes (such as potassium and sodium) from the blood. These waste products exit the body through the urethra in the form of urine.

What happens when your kidneys stop functioning properly?

When kidneys lose function due to disease, harmful wastes and excess fluids build up in the body, which can cause increased blood pressure and problems with bones or blood.

What is hemodialysis and how does it work?

Hemodialysis is a type of dialysis where a machine (dialyser) is used to clean the blood outside of the body. Blood is filtered through fibers inside the dialyser, which remove waste and excess fluids, before being returned to the body.

How is a vascular access site prepared before starting hemodialysis?

Before starting hemodialysis, a doctor will create a vascular access site, which could be an arterovenous graft or fistula. This involves creating a connection between an artery and a vein in the body, which is done through a small incision.

What is the difference between an arterovenous graft and an arterovenous fistula?

An arterovenous graft involves inserting a soft plastic tube to connect an artery and a vein, while an arterovenous fistula directly connects the artery and vein to form a larger vessel, without the use of a graft.

How does a hemodialysis session take place?

During hemodialysis, two needles are inserted into the AV fistula or graft. Blood flows out of the body into the dialyser, where it is cleaned of waste and excess fluids. The cleaned blood is then returned through the second needle. Once the session is complete, the needles are removed.

What is peritoneal dialysis and how is it different from hemodialysis?

Peritoneal dialysis uses the membranes lining the abdomen (called the peritoneum) to clean the blood without removing it from the body. A catheter is inserted into the abdomen, through which dialysate enters and exits to remove waste and fluid.

What is a catheter used for in peritoneal dialysis?

In peritoneal dialysis, a catheter is implanted near the belly button to create a port for the dialysate to enter and leave the abdomen during the dialysis process.

What is an exchange in peritoneal dialysis?

An exchange in peritoneal dialysis refers to the process where the catheter fills the abdomen with dialysate, waste products and excess fluid are drawn out, and the dialysate is drained into a disposable bag, typically taking place over a set period of time determined by the doctor.