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Kidney syndromes

End-stage renal disease

End-stage renal disease, ESRD, involves the failure of the kidneys. Healthy kidneys clean the blood by filtering out extra water and wastes. They also produce hormones which the body needs to help produce blood cells and control blood pressure. When the kidneys fail, the body retains fluid and harmful wastes build up in the body. Also, blood pressure rises and the body stops producing enough red blood cells.

There are three treatment options available for people with ESRD: hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplantation.

Hemodialysis is a procedure that cleans and filters the blood. It rids the body of wastes, extra salt and fluids while helping the body maintain the correct balance of essential chemicals. Hemodialysis is usually done three times a week with each treatment lasting two to three hours.

Peritoneal dialysis is another procedure for removing extra fluids and wastes from the body. This type of dialysis uses the lining of your abdomen (peritoneal membrane) to filter your blood. A cleansing solution called dialysate is fed into your abdomen. The dialysate travels through the blood vessels in the peritoneal membrane, absorbing the body wastes. The dialysate is then drained from the abdomen. Peritoneal dialysis can be performed using various methods, depending on the program the physician chooses.

Kidney transplant is necessary in some ESRD cases.