renal dialysis

Introduction

Dialysis of body fluids to remove substances generally excreted by the kidney, including:

• hemodialysis
• peritoneal dialysis

Indications

• end-stage renal disease

Complications

• hypovolemia or hypervolemia given the exchange of large volume of fluid
• mortality may be 8% higher for hemodialysis than peritoneal dialysis
• mortality is similar for hemodialysis & peritoneal dialysis
• among Medicare patients, ~ 50% die during the first year of dialysis
• quality of life for in-home peritoneal dialysis may be better than for in-center hemodialysis

Management

• iron therapy may lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure or cardiovascular death

More general terms

• dialysis
• renal replacement therapy

More specific terms

• hemodialysis
• peritoneal dialysis; continuous abdominal/ambulatory (cycling) peritoneal dialysis (CAPD, CCPD)