what is dialysis?

Answer 1

A more informative area with I'm certain links for more in depth can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialysis

But just a quick what I know at least regarding Kidney Dialysis: It basically a catheter that is either placed in the neck. leg, or above the privates/below the belly button (This is used for access to the peritoneal cavity), and then is attached to a "machine" this machine pulls the blood out and what the machine does exactly I'm not sure if its centrifuge or osmosis, but anyway, the waste products of the blood that the kidneys cannot filter on their own are filtered in the way. The clean blood is returned.
On a personal note: I hate seeing it. I have watched people scream in agony and watch them fold up helplessly into a ball cause some careless nurse/assistant decides to not be observant and the dialysis machine takes so much fluid out that the muscles constrict... awful. Also after they are done, they are pale as a sheet and all describe the days after as if they are resting from running a marathon or hiked for days.

one more thing, the peritoneal cavity one that I mentioned is used for an at home dialysis machine which is more gravity run than vacuum tube and machines, much easier on the person in need of it for they can control the amount of fluids they need (a dextrose base fluid) and if any cramping ensues, they can stop it quickly.

Answer 2

When your kidneys fail, there is a machine that can do their job (well, sort of). You have to go to a clinic and be connected to this machine for 4 hrs, 3 times a week (more or less). That is called hemodialysis. Often they will give you a machine to use at home.

There is another form of dialysis called peritoneal dialysis, where you put fluid in your stomach (you don't swallow it, there's a tube that comes out of your stomach. It's not as bad as it sounds.) And you change the fluid 4 times a day.

The kidneys have about 40 functions, and this machine only performs their main function, which is to remove waste from the blood, so you still have some problems. For instance, the body stores iron in the kidneys, so people on dialysis are often anemic (lacking iron).

If you're lucky, you can get a kidney transplant, and then you'd be much healthier. But you have to wait on a list for a long time, maybe 3 or 4 years, unless you know someone who will give you a kidney. And in some cases, whatever killed your kidneys will kill the new one (usually diabetes).

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Dialysis cleans the kidneys.

Answer 5

A machine that functions like the kidneys to filter toxins from the blood. When the kidneys fail to do their job, a person will have to get dialysis treatments to cleanse the blood or they die... unless they can get a kidney transplant.

Answer 6

dialysis is a process of filtering the blood of waste materials like creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen. it uses the process of difussion. it is of 2 kinds, peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis. the peritoneal dialysis is cheaper then the hemo, draining can be done everyday, though high risk for peritoneal infection such as peritonitis. the second type is hemodialysis, expensive, can be done according to the doctor's and patient's preference. but there are already machines suitable to be used at home. in hemo, you should have AV shunt or fistula for the access of draining and returning the blood to your body. one session would last for 4 hours. dialysis is done if you have renal failure

Answer 7

It's a substitute for renal function.

Answer 8

it,s a way of filtering/cleaning the blood.....when your kidney,s fail.