Dialysis at a Clinic or at Home
When the kidneys fail, dialysis is a life saver
More than 2 million people suffer from chronic kidney failure around the world. The kidneys of these patients are unable to filter metabolic toxins and excess water from the blood for excretion through the urine. More than 1.9 million patients rely on regular, life-saving dialysis treatment – either at a dialysis clinic or at home – to prevent the damage of further organs these toxins can cause when they accumulate in the blood.
The basic differences between the two types of dialysis treatment are as follows:
- Hemodialysis accounts for about 89 percent of all dialysis therapies. In hemodialysis, blood is filtered outside the patient’s body using an artificial kidney (dialyzer). The patient’s circulation is monitored and controlled by a dialysis machine.
- The lining of the abdominal wall, known as the peritoneum, can also be used as a natural filter for dialysis. This type of dialysis is known as peritoneal dialysis and was used in the treatment of about 190,000 patients at the end of 2008.
A kidney transplant is the third treatment option for patients with chronic kidney failure. However, there is a very limited supply of donor organs. About 530,000 renal patients around the world live with a donor kidney.
Information bochures about dialysis:
For more information about kidney patient care, please visit the UltraCare website of Fresenius Medical Care North America.