The needles are then attached by plastic tubing to a special filter. This filter is an artificial kidney called a dialyzer. One needle withdraws blood for cleansing. The other needle returns filtered blood to the body. A pump pushes blood through the dialyzer.
Blood passes on one side of the filter.
Solution made by the dialysis machine passes on the other side. The solution draws excess fluid and waste out of the blood. A filter is used with pores large enough to allow wastes to leave. Larger molecules and blood cells cannot pass through the filter. The average person receives three treatments per week.