Kidney dialysis

Kidney dialysis is the process of removing excess <a href="/facts/Water/0lkXnJPK">water</a>, <a href="/facts/Solutes/MGchhMQV">solutes</a>, and <a href="/facts/Toxins/11oUNk7n">toxins</a> from the <a href="/facts/Blood/03zEulkj">blood</a> in people whose <a href="/facts/Kidney/HBspPrv9">kidneys</a> can no longer perform these functions naturally. Along with <a href="/facts/Kidney_transplantation/WMeCmTBL">kidney transplantation</a>, it is a type of <a href="/facts/Renal_replacement_therapy/51EfHfJ4">renal replacement therapy</a>.
Dialysis may need to be initiated when there is a sudden rapid loss of kidney function, known as <a href="/facts/Acute_kidney_injury/dYg8l5P8">acute kidney injury</a> (previously called acute renal failure), or when a gradual decline in kidney function, <a href="/facts/Chronic_kidney_failure/4YKH9wpo">chronic kidney failure</a>, reaches stage 5. Stage 5 chronic renal failure is reached when the <a href="/facts/Glomerular_filtration_rate/kJKJge0o">glomerular filtration rate</a> is less than 15% of the normal, <a href="/facts/Creatinine/gkebqj2L">creatinine</a> clearance is less than 10 mL per minute, and <a href="/facts/Uremia/3apTNTm6">uremia</a> is present.
Dialysis is used as a temporary measure in either acute kidney injury or in those awaiting <a href="/facts/Kidney_transplant/WMeCmTBL">kidney transplant</a> and as a permanent measure in those for whom a transplant is not <a href="/facts/Indication_(medicine)/DLdGwxDY">indicated</a> or not possible.
In West European countries, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, dialysis is paid for by the government for those who are eligible. The first successful dialysis was performed in 1943.

Kidney dialysis open-in-new

Kidney dialysis