Yourkidneysare critical to your health. They are responsible for cleaning toxins from your blood and regulating how much salt and water you expel. If your kidneys aren’t functioning the way they should, dialysis can step in and do this work for your kidneys.
There are three options you can consider if you need to replace your kidney function.
选项1：您可以前往血液透析的门诊中心
Hemodialysisuses a machine to clean your blood. It accesses your blood vessels through an entry point in your arm, pumps your blood through a filter that removes toxins, solutes, salts and water, and then returns the clean blood to your body.
You can have hemodialysis performed in an outpatient dialysis center. You’ll usually need dialysis three times a week for four hours each time.
The benefit:“许多患者在门诊血液透析方面表现出色，因为他们喜欢透析中心的社交网络，并与护士和技术人员建立了密切的关系。当他们被透析中心监视时，他们也会感到更加自信。”艾米·苏斯曼, MD, a nephrologist at横幅——图森大学医学中心.
Option 2: You can perform hemodialysis treatments at home
您也可以自己进行血液透析，而无需离开家。通常每周三次，每次四次，或每周五到六次，每次五到三个小时。
在家里，您将需要与您一起监视您的时间，并且需要自己将针头放入血管入学点。
The benefit:“Most patients who do home hemodialysis have the most energy and, often, a better quality of life,” Dr. Sussman said.
Option 3: You can opt for peritoneal dialysis treatments at home
Peritoneal dialysis (PD)uses your own abdominal cavity to remove the toxins, solutes, salts, and water from your blood. “This is truly an amazing way to take advantage of our own body to do the work of the kidneys,” Dr. Sussman said.
In this process, a PD catheter is inserted in your abdomen. Dialysis solution is placed in the abdomen through the catheter and your body naturally filters your blood. The solution is swapped out for clean solution periodically, and the treatment can be performed overnight for eight hours or throughout the entire day.
您可以在夜间睡觉时使用自动机器来填充和排干腹部，因此您不必前往透析中心或白天使用机器。使用PD，您不需要任何人来监视您。
The benefit:Sussman博士说：“大多数从腹膜透析开始的患者永远不想过渡到血液透析，因为他们喜欢PD提供的灵活性和自由。”
How long will I need dialysis?
In some cases, you might not need dialysis for long. If you injure your kidneys or have a medical problem like shock, disease or infection, dialysis can take over while they heal. More than 75 percent of the time, in these cases your kidneys will recover, and you will need dialysis for three months or less.
On the other hand, you might have end-stage kidney disease where you will need dialysis permanently. If that’s the case, you should be evaluated for a肾脏移植, which could give you the best survival odds and quality of life.
If you need dialysis, you don’t have to pick one type and stick with it forever. You might start with hemodialysis at an outpatient center, then switch to peritoneal dialysis at home, for example.
The bottom line
If your kidneys aren’t functioning properly, dialysis can help. By learning about your disease and the different types of dialysis, you can choose the one that best matches your needs and your lifestyle. “People do best when they are armed with education and informed to make the right choices for their life,” Dr. Sussman said.
To connect with a health professional who can guide you through your options for kidney care and health, visitvwin.comac德赢官方首页 .
Check out these articles to learn more about kidney health and kidney problems:
- Kidney Infections & Why You Shouldn’t Wait for Treatment
- The Basics of Kidney Cancer
- What You Need to Know About Kidney Health
