Abstract
Q1 What is PD and how does it differ from haemodialysis?
PD is a gentler form of renal replacement therapy than haemodialysis. Whereas an artificial membrane filters the blood in haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis exploits the peritoneum as a natural semi-permeable membrane. It is usually performed by patients in their own homes. It involves running 2–2.5 l of warmed dialysis fluid into the abdominal cavity using a thin rubber tube known as a Tenckhoff catheter, then waiting a few hours before draining the fluid out and infusing fresh fluid. This exchange of fluid takes around 20–30 min and is simple to learn. Most patients are competent after 2 days practice. The Tenckhoff catheter and the peritoneal membrane are to peritoneal dialysis, as vascular access and the artificial dialyser are to haemodialysis.
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Further Reading
Woodrow G, Davies S. Renal association clinical practice guidelines – peritoneal dialysis. Access via www.renal.org.
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© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
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Findlay, M., Isles, C. (2015). Peritoneal Dialysis. In: Clinical Companion in Nephrology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14868-7_38
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14868-7_38
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