Peritoneal Dialysis Specialist
Southland Renal Medical Group
Nephrologists located in the Greater Long Beach and Orange County, CA Area
Peritoneal dialysis filters your blood when your kidneys are too damaged to do the job. Since peritoneal dialysis is done by you at home, it gives you control over your dialysis schedule. The team at Southland Renal Medical Group, with kidney treatment centers in Long Beach, Downey, Fountain Valley, and Los Alamitos, California, have helped many patients learn how to perform peritoneal dialysis. They provide ongoing support along with complete medical care for kidney failure. To learn more about peritoneal dialysis, schedule an appointment online or by phone today.
Peritoneal Dialysis Q & A
What is peritoneal dialysis?
Dialysis is a treatment that replaces your kidneys when injury or disease stops them from filtering your blood. Your kidneys remove toxic wastes and excess fluids, maintain normal blood pressure, and regulate electrolyte levels. Those critical processes must be continued with dialysis after your kidneys fail.
Peritoneal dialysis is one of the two major types of dialysis you can use to filter your blood, the other being hemodialysis. When you decide to use peritoneal dialysis, the first step is to have a soft plastic catheter surgically implanted in your belly. The tube remains in place and is used every time you perform peritoneal dialysis.
The process of peritoneal dialysis consists of injecting a cleansing fluid into your abdomen through the catheter. The fluid stays in place for a specific amount of time, depending on the type of peritoneal dialysis. During that time, the fluid pulls wastes out of your blood. When you drain the fluid, it carries the unwanted wastes away.
What are the different types of peritoneal dialysis
There are two types of peritoneal dialysis:
Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)
During CAPD, you inject the fluid, leave it there, and go about your normal routine. The fluid comes in a plastic bag you attach to the tube in your belly. You then raise the bag to shoulder level so the fluid flows into your abdomen.
The cleansing fluid stays in your abdomen for 30-40 minutes, then you drain it out. This exchange of fluid is usually done three to five times over 24 hours, but your doctor at Southland Renal Medical Group will give you a specific schedule to follow.
Automated peritoneal dialysis (APD)
APD is done at night using a cycler machine that delivers and drains the cleansing fluid.
What type of peritoneal dialysis training will I receive?
You’ll do all your own peritoneal dialysis at home, but you’re not alone. The team at Southland Renal Medical Group work closely with you, teaching you how to exchange cleansing fluid, clean your access catheter, and use the cycler. Even if you’re using the machine, you’ll also need to learn how to do it by hand, just to be prepared for a power outage.
While doing it yourself may seem more difficult than going into the office for hemodialysis, you gain some benefits with peritoneal dialysis. It gives you the flexibility to work your dialysis around your schedule. You can also filter your blood more slowly throughout the day or night, which is better for your health.
To learn more about peritoneal dialysis, call Southland Renal Medical Group or book an appointment online today.