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. Like healthy kidneys, dialysis keeps your body in balance. Keeps a safe level of certain chemicals in your blood, such as potassium, sodium and bicarbonate. Helps to control blood pressure. Dialysis can be done in a hospital, in a dialysis unit that is not part of a hospital, or at home.