Ask a doctor - Why would you need dialysis treatments?

Q. Why would you need dialysis treatments?

Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.

Answered by Secondmedic Expert

Dialysis is a treatment that filters and purifies the blood. It is used when the kidneys can no longer perform this function effectively. There are two main types of dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis uses a machine to filter the blood, while peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of the abdomen to filter the blood. Dialysis can be performed at a dialysis center or at home. Dialysis treatments typically last four to five hours and are usually done three times a week. Some people may need to have dialysis every day. The frequency and duration of treatments will depend on the individual’s health condition. People with kidney failure often require dialysis treatments for the rest of their lives. In some cases, a kidney transplant may be an option. A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure to remove a healthy kidney from a donor and place it in the recipient’s body. The transplanted kidney takes over the job of filtering the blood. Not everyone with kidney failure is eligible for a transplant, but it may be an option for some people. Dialysis treatments can help people with kidney failure live longer, healthier lives.