The Kidneys and How They Work On this page: - What do the
kidneys do? - What is renal function? - Why do kidneys fail? -
How do kidneys fail? - What are the signs of chronic kidney
disease (CKD)? - What medical tests detect kidney disease? -
What are the stages of CKD? - What can be done about CKD? - What
happens if the kidneys fail completely? - Points to Remember -
Hope through Research - For More Information The kidneys are a
pair of vital organs that perform many functions to keep the
blood clean and chemically balanced. Understanding how the
kidneys work can help a person keep them healthy. What do the
kidneys do? The kidneys are bean-shaped organs, each about the
size of a fist. They are located near the middle of the back,
just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine. The
kidneys are sophisticated reprocessing machines. Every day, a
person's kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out
about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The wastes and
extra water become urine, which fl