Dialysis

• Dialysis: when a kidney machine takes a patient’s blood and cleans it, then returns the blood to circulation.
• How dialysis works:

  • Blood enters machine from patient
  • The pump passes the blood through the dialysis tubing which is semi-permeable therefore acting as a filter
  • The surrounding liquid contains some salts, glucose but no urea so waste materials pass from blood by diffusion;
  • The ‘cleaned' blood returns to patient's circulation/body
• Dialysis:

  • Price: more expensive in long run
  • Disruption: very disruptive (three 6-8 hr sessions per week)
  • Requirements: Needs a machine & must live near one
• Transplant:

  • Price: Less expensive in the long run
  • Disruption: not very disruptive (only have to take medication)
  • Requirements: need to find a kidney but procedure can happen anywhere at anytime
  • Additional problems: there is a risk of rejection