Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD and APD)

Being told you need dialysis usually brings one picture to mind: a machine in a hospital, three mornings a week. For many people there is another option. Peritoneal dialysis is done at home, often while you sleep.

Your abdomen is lined by a thin membrane called the peritoneum, packed with tiny blood vessels. In peritoneal dialysis (PD), a sterile fluid called dialysate runs into your abdomen through a soft, permanent tube (catheter). Over a few hours, waste and extra water pass from your blood across the membrane into the fluid, which you then drain out and replace with fresh fluid. Each cycle is called an exchange. PD works more slowly than haemodialysis but every day, which is gentler on the heart and blood pressure.

PD doesn't cure kidney failure. It works well for years in many people, especially while their own kidneys still make some urine. Over time the membrane can filter less well, or infections may force a change, and many people eventually move to haemodialysis or have a transplant.

Our nephrology department offers both haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis and helps you choose based on your health, home and work. Our dietitians plan meals around the food you already eat, and if you're heading for a transplant, we handle the pre-transplant workup.

PD treats the same kidney failure as haemodialysis. The choice often depends more on your life and other health problems than on the kidneys.

Expect a few weeks of learning, and of getting used to the feeling of fluid in your abdomen, before exchanges feel routine.