Hi doc, my 72-year-old husband has been in kidney failure since 2 months. Since he is not a good candidate for a kidney transplant, has been advised to undergo regular dialysis. What is hemodialysis? What are the indications for dialysis? How is it done? Can hemodialysis be done at home? What are the potential complications of hemodialysis?
Hemodialysis is a procedure in which a machine filters harmful waste and excess salt and fluid from your blood. Dialysis is indicated in patient with renal failure due various causes, pulmonary edema not responding to diuretics, poisoning, severe bleeding diaeresis, ASCIIs without hepatic disease, infectious complications, severe hypertension and severe hyperkalemia. A needle is inserted into arm through a special access point. Blood is then directed through the needle to a machine called a dialyzes, which filters your blood a few ounces at a time. The filtered blood returns to body through another needle. With special training and someone to help, It's possible to do hemodialysis at home. Complications of long term dialysis includes lack of red blood cells anemia, bone diseases, chest, low blood pressure, muscle Cramps, nausea and vomiting, fever and chills, inflammation of the membrane surrounding the needle, high potassium levels, which can affect your heart rhythm, nerve damage, infection and heart disease.