Peritoneal Dialysis (PD)
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) uses a natural membrane inside your body and a special solution (dialysate) to cleanse the blood. This solution needs to be changed several times a day. You can usually do this yourself in between your activities at home or work. It may also be done at night by a machine.
How PD Works
PD uses the natural lining inside your abdomen called the peritoneal membrane. When the abdominal cavity is filled with dialysate, the lining and dialysate work together to clean the blood. Every few hours, the dialysate needs to be changed. The process of changing the dialysate is called an exchange.
Call your doctor or nurse if you have:
-
Fever or chills
-
Dialysate that's cloudy or bloody when it drains from your body
-
Pain in your abdomen or around your catheter
-
Warm, red, or draining skin around your catheter
-
Blocked flow into or out of your catheter
|
Your Experience
-
PD is a home treatment. A nurse or technician will train you on how to do PD exchanges.
-
4-5 exchanges are needed daily, taking about 30 minutes each.
-
With CAPD (continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis), you do your own exchanges every 4-6 hours during the day.
-
With CCPD (continuous cyclic peritoneal dialysis), a machine called a cycler does most of your exchanges at night while you sleep.
Publication Source:
Burkart JM, Daeihagh P, Rocco MV, Brenner & Rector's The Kidney, 7th ed., Chapter 60 - Peritoneal dialysis, 2004, pp 2625-2674
Online Medical Reviewer:
Chang, Alice MD
Date Last Reviewed:
1/15/2007
Date Last Modified:
1/2/2005