How Kidney Dialysis Works

[okarol]

How Kidney Dialysis Works   

Posted: 2:22 PM Nov 21, 2008
Last Updated: 2:22 PM Nov 21, 2008

November 21, 2008

Hundreds of thousands of Americans require kidney dialysis treatment.

The National Kidney Foundation estimates more than 20 million Americans suffer from chronic kidney disease.

The dials and numbers on a dialysis machine may look confusing, but to a patient suffering from end-stage kidney disease, they have a life-saving purpose.

The machine takes over when the kidneys are no longer able to function properly.

"Dialysis takes out the excess poison levels and the excess fluids, the abnormal electrolytes that the kidneys normally clear," explained Dr. Edward Himot of the Georgia Kidney Associates.

Kidney specialist Dr. Edward Himot calls kidney dialysis an artificial intermittent treatment that can help prolong life for people with end-stage kidney disease. Dialysis may be recommended for patients with kidneys functioning at less than 10 to 15% capacity.

Experts say certain patients may require up to twelve hours of dialysis a week divided into three sessions. The treatment could be for the rest of their lives.

"If you have chronic kidney failure that's lapsing over years then the chances of having reversibility of you coming off dialysis is low," said Dr. Himot.

With an estimated 340,000 patients in the US receiving dialysis every year, that means centers like this one will always be busy.
 
 
 
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[Rerun]

Everytime I read an article they quote a certain amount of People in the US receiving dialysis.  It is always a different amount.  This one says 340,000.

No need to reply, just notice what the other articles say.  It is interesting.

[okarol]

I thought it was around 300,000 on dialysis from what I have read in the past.
It's amazing to me that less than a third of them are wait listed for a kidney transplant.