概述-Dialysis

Dialysis is a procedure to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys stop working properly. It often involves diverting blood to a machine to be cleaned.

Normally, the kidneys filter the blood, removing harmful waste products and excess fluid and turning these into urine to be passed out of the body.

Why do I need dialysis?

If your kidneys are not working properly – for example, because you have advancedchronic kidney disease(kidney failure) – the kidneys may not be able to clean the blood properly.

Waste products and fluid can build up to dangerous levels in your body. Left untreated, this can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms and eventually be fatal.

Dialysis filters out unwanted substances and fluids from the blood before this happens.

How long will I need dialysis for?

It depends. In some cases, kidney failure may be a temporary problem and dialysis can be stopped when your kidneys recover.

But often, someone with kidney failure will need a肾脏移植.

It's not always possible to carry out a kidney transplant straight away, so dialysis may be needed until a suitable donor kidney becomes available.

If a kidney transplant is not suitable for you – for example, because you're not well enough to have a major operation – dialysis may be needed for the rest of your life.

What happens during dialysis

There are 2 main types of dialysis: haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

Haemodialysis

Haemodialysis is the most common type of dialysis and the one most people are aware of.

During the procedure, a tube is attached to a needle in your arm.

Blood passes along the tube and into an external machine that filters it, before it's passed back into the arm along another tube.

在透析中心，通常每周3天进行，每次会议持续约4个小时。

It can also be done at home. Some examples of a home dialysis schedule include:

• 4 times a week for 4 hours
• 5 times a week for 3 hours
• 6 days a week for 8 hours overnight

Peritoneal dialysis

Peritoneal dialysis uses the inside lining of your abdomen (the peritoneum) as the filter, rather than a machine.

Like the kidneys, the peritoneum contains thousands of tiny blood vessels, making it a useful filtering device.

Before treatment starts, a cut (incision) is made near your belly button and a thin tube called a catheter is inserted through the incision and into the space inside your abdomen (the peritoneal cavity). This is left in place permanently.

Fluid is pumped into the peritoneal cavity through the catheter. As blood passes through the blood vessels lining the peritoneal cavity, waste products and excess fluid are drawn out of the blood and into the dialysis fluid.

The used fluid is drained into a bag a few hours later and replaced with fresh fluid.

Changing the fluid usually takes about 30 to 40 minutes and normally needs to be repeated around 4 times a day.

If you prefer, this can be done by a machine overnight while you sleep.

Read more about how dialysis is performed

哪种类型的透析是最好的？

In many cases, you'll be able to choose which type of dialysis you want to have and where to have it.

The 2 techniques are equally effective for most people, but each has its own advantages and drawbacks.

例如：

• haemodialysismeans you'll have 4 treatment-free days a week, but the treatment sessions last longer and you may need to visit hospital each time
• 家庭血液透析- 通常，您通常需要比诊所更多的透析课程，但是您可以选择满足您的医疗需求并适合您生活的治疗计划
• peritoneal dialysiscan be done quite easily at home and can sometimes be done while you sleep, but it needs to be done every day

如果您能够选择喜欢的透析类型，那么您的护理团队将与您讨论每种选择的利弊，以帮助您做出决定。

Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of both types of dialysis

Side effects of dialysis

Haemodialysis can cause itchy skin and muscle cramps. Peritoneal dialysis can put you at risk of developingperitonitis, an infection of the thin membrane that surrounds your abdomen.

Both types of dialysis can make you feel exhausted.

Read more about the possibleside effects of dialysis.

Life on dialysis

Many people on dialysis have a good quality of life.

If you're otherwise well, you should be able to:

• 继续工作或学习
• drive
• exercise
• 去游泳
• go on holiday

尽管治疗只能部分补偿肾脏功能的损失，但大多数人可以继续透析多年。

Having kidneys that do not work properly can place a significant strain on the body.

This means that people can die while on dialysis if they do not have a kidney transplant, particularly older people and those with other health problems.

在20多岁时开始透析的人可以期望生活长达20年或更长时间，但是75岁以上的成年人可能只能生存2至3年。

But survival rates of people on dialysis have improved over the past decade and are expected to continue improving in the future.