What is Dialysis?
Dialysis is an artificial process by which waste material and excess water is taken out from the blood. It is the most important function of kidneys but when they fail completely, it is done by artificial dialysis.
Types of Dialysis
There are 2 kinds of dialysis: first is peritoneal dialysis, also called PD and second is hemodialysis, which is also called HD.
Both the processes filter the blood and removes urea, creatinine, other waste material and excess water; but important things like blood cells and nutrients are retained.
Now I will tell you about peritoneal dialysis (PD).
Peritoneal Dialysis (PD): In PD peritoneum is used as filter which is the part of our body. Peritoneum is a natural membrane which lines our abdomen from inside and this also covers our abdominal organs like stomach, intestines, liver and so on. In appearance it is like a balloon, but it has small holes due to which it can be used like a dialysis membrane.
Peritoneum has two layers – one-layer lines the abdominal wall from inside and the other layer covers the abdominal organs. These two layers have space, and this space is called peritoneal cavity.
During PD this peritoneal cavity is used for dialysis fluid. Normally peritoneal cavity contains 100 ML or 0.1 L fluid, but it has a capacity to carry 5000 ML or 5 L of fluid.
Hemodialysis (HD): Now I will tell you about HD. In HD dialysis machine or artificial kidney is used; with the help of which waste material and excess water is taken out of the body. This process is also called ultra-filtration.
Choosing between PD and HD
- PD is more suitable in early stages of dialysis. If the kidneys are working even a little bit, then with the help of PD kidneys can work for quite a long time.
- Diabetic patients have generally weak veins and veins are needed in hemodialysis. So, to save veins for later stages PD can be done. This way when PD becomes ineffective then later hemodialysis can be done easily.
- PD can be done at home while HD needs hospital admission. Many patients opt for PD in the starting to avoid frequent visits to the hospital.
Will Dialysis Cure my CKD
CKD is not cured by dialysis; it does not cure symptoms completely neither do the kidneys turn healthy again. But dialysis controls your symptoms and prevent you from dying.
Dialysis provides only 5% of the work done by two normal kidneys. This means when a patient is on dialysis then he has 10% of normal kidney function; 5% of dialysis and 5% of his own kidneys. Now, is this 10% function sufficient for a person? No; but to remain alive it is necessary to have dialysis.
If immediately after diagnosis of initial stage of CKD, the patient starts homeopathic treatment, then the requirement of dialysis gets delayed or many times not needed at all.
Multivitamin tablets during dialysis or kidney failure
According to my clinical experience kidney patient should not take any multivitamins tablets. These tablets contain excess of vitamins which cannot be excreted through failed kidneys. Due to which vitamins accumulate in the body giving rise to a condition known as hypervitaminosis which is like poisoning.