To Help Manage Kidney Failure—Dialysis is a procedure that
performs the functions of natural kidneys when the kidneys fail.
Most patients begin dialysis when their kidneys have lost
85%-90% of their ability to function and will continue dialysis
for the rest of their lives (unless a kidney transplant is
available and successful). Dialysis is not a cure for ESRD, but
helps you feel better and live longer. The purpose of dialysis
is to help keep the body's chemicals in balance, which the
kidneys do when they are healthy. The main functions of dialysis
are: - Removing waste and excess fluid from the blood to prevent
build-up - Controlling blood pressure - Keeping a safe level of
chemicals in the body, such as potassium, sodium, and chloride
There are two main types of : hemodialysis and peritoneal
dialysis. For hemodialysis, an artificial kidney machine, called
a dialyzer, filters the blood, and returns the cleaned blood to
your body. You are connected to the dialyzer via tubes that are
inserted into a vein in y