News Release

Peritoneal Dialysis (PD)

FACT SHEET

OVERVIEW

• Chronic renal failure or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) means the kidneys do not work well enough on their own to keep a person alive. Today there is no known cure for ESRD but there are successful treatment options.
• The two treatment options used when kidneys fail are dialysis (hemodialysis and peritoneal) and transplantation.
  • Dialysis is the medical treatment for eliminating waste and extra fluid from the bloodstream that the kidneys can no longer remove.
  • Kidney transplantation is an operation performed by a surgeon to replace the damaged kidney with a healthy one from another person.
• Due to the limited number of donor kidneys, the vast majority of people with ESRD -- more than one million people worldwide (300,000 people in the U.S.) -- rely on some form of dialysis.
  

PERITONEAL DIALYSIS (PD)

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a home-based treatment for people with chronic renal failure. The therapy removes extra fluids and waste from the blood inside the body, using the body's own peritoneal membrane, or abdominal lining, as the filter. This membrane lines the abdominal cavity, which holds the stomach, spleen, liver and intestines. Unlike hemodialysis, in this form of therapy, blood never leaves the body. Dialysis fluid enters the peritoneal cavity through a catheter surgically inserted in the abdomen. Extra fluid and waste travels across the peritoneal membrane into the dialysis fluid, which is then drained from the abdomen.

TWO FORMS OF PERITONEAL DIALYSIS

1. Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is a form of PD that is performed by a patient, which works somewhat like a healthy kidney, because it is a continuous dialysis process-24 hours a day, seven days a week. Since people are ambulatory and is not attached to a machine, they can walk around during therapy, as well as use it at home or work.
   
   
2. Automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) is performed at home with the help of a PD cycler machine that performs exchanges automatically, usually while a patient sleeps. Most people must leave dialysate in the peritoneum during the day to remove extra waste and fluid. APD is good for people who want more freedom during the day.

STEPS FOR PERFORMING PERITONEAL DIALYSIS

EFFECTS OF PERITONEAL DIALYSIS ON LIFESTYLE

• People on PD can lead fairly normal lives. It is easy to adjust the treatment schedule according to work, school or travel demands since the patient is in control of the treatment.
• A patient may have few restrictions in his/her diet with PD, although maintaining recommended protein intake is important to avoid malnutrition.
• Patients can travel with their CAPD supplies or APD cycler and a dialysis company can ship supplies to a destination ahead of time.
• Many PD patients can enjoy most sports and exercise, after checking with their physician.
• Patients can set their own dialysis schedules since they are taught how to self-administer the therapy.

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