Experts estimate that more than 3,000,000 Americans have undiagnosed kidney and urinary tract diseases. End Stage Renal Disease, the definition of kidney failure, is the point at which the kidneys have failed and where dialysis or a kidney transplant is necessary to maintain life. Dialysis or a kidney transplant is necessary to maintain life in the event of total kidney failure. Before dialysis was available, total kidney failure meant death. Today, people with kidney failure can live because of treatments such as dialysis and kidney transplant.
Dialysis is a treatment that does some of the things done by healthy kidneys.
It is needed when your own kidneys can no longer take care of your body's needs. You need dialysis when you develop end stage kidney failure-usually by the time you lose about 85 to 90 percent of your kidney function. Like healthy kidneys, dialysis keeps your body in balance. Yes, there are two types of dialysis-hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. The only other way to maintain life after total kidney failure is a kidney transplant.