HEMODIALYSIS

In hemodialysis, blood is pumped through soft tubes to a dialysis machine. Inside the kit is a special filter called a dialyzer (also called an “artificial kidney”). The dialyzer lets waste and extra fluid through, but it retains important things the body needs, like blood cells and nutrients.

The waste and extra fluids are transported to a cleaning fluid inside the dialysis machine (called “dialysate”), and the clean blood flows back to you. There is only a small amount of blood outside the body at any given time. On average, the process takes four hours. Most people have the treatment three to four times a week. While your hemodialysis treatment is going on, you can read, sleep, and even watch TV.

In order to connect to dialysis equipment, you must have an access, or entrance, to your bloodstream. This is done through minor surgery, which is usually done on the arm. This access is permanent while you are on dialysis.

If you need dialysis before your access heals, an access is placed temporario en el cuello o en la ingle. Su equipo de atención médica le enseñará cómo cuidar su acceso.