Chronic Kidney Disease is a condition where the kidneys function less effectively, as indicated by an abnormal kidney filtration rate measured by the eGFR test, which is often included in annual health check-ups. Whenever the kidney filtration rate falls below 15%, it is considered stage 5 or end-stage kidney disease, where the kidney’s ability to remove waste on its own is insufficient to sustain normal life. The symptoms caused by the loss of kidney function leading to the accumulation of waste and chemicals are called uremia. In such cases, patients must undergo treatment commonly known as ‘dialysis’ or ‘hemodialysis.’
Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis, and Kidney Transplantation in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
For patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease, in addition to strict dietary and medication management, it is necessary to receive kidney replacement therapy, which mainly includes 3 methods:
- Hemodialysis using a dialysis machine involves drawing the patient’s blood through a needle into the dialysis machine to exchange waste and excess water before returning the blood to the body. Each session takes 3-4 hours and must be done 2-3 times per week.
- Peritoneal dialysis involves using a permanently implanted catheter in the abdomen to fill the peritoneal cavity with dialysis fluid to exchange waste and excess water, which is then drained out through the catheter. The dialysis fluid must be changed daily. This method can be done independently at home.
- Kidney transplantation is considered the best treatment. Patients undergo surgery to receive a kidney from a deceased donor (average waiting time is 4 years) or from a living relative, spouse, or healthy donor. Both the patient and donor must undergo thorough health examinations before surgery. After the transplant, the recipient must take immunosuppressive drugs continuously to prevent rejection of the new kidney.
