This gives them freedom in scheduling treatments. People doing home hemodialysis rank at the top in survival, rehabilitation, and selfesteem. Although hemodialysis is a good way to rid the body of waste chemicals, salt, and water, it still leaves the person low on certain hormones that are normally produced by healthy kidneys, and these will need to be replaced. Because of recent improvements in dialysis care, today's patients are likely to survive for even longer periods. The peritoneum is the sac-like lining of your abdominal cavity.
Patients change the rinsing solution in the peritoneum three to five times daily.
To prepare for CAPD, a catheter that leads from the outside to the peritoneal cavity is sewn in place a day or so before the first dialysis. To do CAPD, the person uncaps the catheter and removes or adds rinsing solution. Patients, including those who are blind, are usually able to learn to perform CAPD at home within 10 to 15 days. Insulin, antibiotics, and other drugs can be added by the patient to each dialysate exchange. This method of dialysis means freedom from a machine.