D
Dialysis
Description
Dialysis is a technique in which substances move from the blood through a semipermeable membrane and into a dialysis solution (dialysate). It is used to correct fluid and electrolyte imbalances and remove waste products in renal failure. It can also be used to treat drug overdoses.
The two methods of dialysis are peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) (Table 93).
■ In PD the peritoneal membrane acts as the semipermeable membrane.
■ In HD an artificial membrane (usually made of cellulose-based or synthetic materials) is used as the semipermeable membrane and is in contact with the patient’s blood.
Table 93
Comparison of Peritoneal Dialysis and Hemodialysis
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) | |
|
■ Immediate initiation in almost any hospital ■ Less complicated than hemodialysis ■ Relatively short training time ■ Usable in patient with vascular access problems  Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel
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