Dialysis is a procedure that cleanses the blood of toxins and waste products. The two main types are hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

During hemodialysis, blood is removed from the blood stream and pumped through the hollow fibers of a dialyzer, which acts as an artificial kidney. Simultaneously, a solution called dialysate is pumped in the opposite direction around and past the blood-filled fibers to remove waste. The cleansed blood returns to the patient, and the dialysate is discarded.

With peritoneal dialysis, dialysate is introduced into the abdominal cavity via a surgically placed catheter. The dialysate can be inserted by the patient using either gravity or pump methods. Waste products pass from the blood stream, through the peritoneal membrane and into the dialysate solution. The patient drains the used dialysate from the abdominal cavity and replaces it on an individualized schedule. We provide both continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), the most common type of peritoneal dialysis, as well as continuous cyclic peritoneal dialysis (CCPD).

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is a slow and continuous form of dialysis that might take one of several processes to accomplish fluid removal and/or toxin removal. This mode of therapy is used for an acutely ill, hospitalized patient in the critical care setting when the patient's status is more suited to a slower, milder process of dialysis. CRRT is often administered over a period of 24 hours.

Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is a procedure that removes a patient’s plasma, which contains toxic substances unique to a particular disease state, and allows us to replace that plasma with an albumin and saline mixture or with donor plasma.

Programs and Inservices
CentraCare Kidney Program provides additional services for both patients and professional caregivers, including community and nursing home inservices, as well as educational programs through the local chapter of the American Nephrology Nurses’ Association.

Helpful Resources
Chronic Kidney Disease
What Type of Dialysis Should I Have?