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New Tool Available to Help Patients Choose their Treatment

2024-03-28T21:01:55-04:00July 18th, 2016|Categories: eNews, In-Center Hemodialysis, News & Events, Peritoneal Dialysis, What Is Kidney Disease|

We frequently hear from dialysis patients about how they were not adequately informed of their treatment options before having to start treatment. While many patients end up “crashing” into dialysis, those who are diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) early need to begin educating themselves on their treatment options to be prepared for End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). There are three avenues of treatment you can choose for renal replacement therapy: hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplant.  While it is possible to receive a transplant before needing dialysis, it is still important to know what those dialysis options are in the [...]

In-Center Hemodialysis

2024-03-28T21:02:11-04:00April 11th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Fact Sheet, Hemodialysis|

Currently, in-center hemodialysis is the most utilized form of dialysis treatment for Americans with end stage renal disease. With in-center hemodialysis a patient goes to a dialysis center where a staff of nurses and technicians administer treatment. Generally, in-center hemodialysis occurs three days a week for between three to five hours per session. During dialysis treatment the blood is removed from the body via an access (fistula, graft or catheter), filtered through an artificial kidney (dialyzer) and returned back to the body through the access. This blood is filtered many times during treatment to remove waste and maintain the chemical balance [...]

Home Hemodialysis

2024-03-28T21:02:13-04:00April 11th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Fact Sheet, Home Hemodialysis|

For people on dialysis who are stable, and who desire more control and flexibility over their treatments, home hemodialysis is another treatment option. With home hemodialysis a patient, along with a partner in most cases, will set up a dialysis machine in his or her home and learn to perform dialysis. This requires a patient, and/or partner, to learn how to self-cannulate, or put the needles into the access, set up the dialysis machine, monitor the machine, take and record vital statistics during treatment. Home hemodialysis patients must have a room in their home capable of accommodating the dialysis machine [...]

Basics of Chronic Kidney Disease

2024-03-28T21:05:11-04:00March 8th, 2016|Categories: Fact Sheet, Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Medication, Peritoneal Dialysis, Symptoms, The Kidney Citizen, What Causes Kidney Disease|

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), also called chronic kidney failure, describes the gradual loss of kidney function. Your kidneys filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood, which are then removed from your body in your urine. When CKD reaches an advanced stage, dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and waste products can build up in your body and cause you harm. In the early stages of CKD, you may have few signs or symptoms, and may only be diagnosed with a blood and/or urine test. In fact, you may not feel sick from CKD up until most of your kidney function [...]

Hemodialysis Access for Patients

2024-03-28T21:05:13-04:00March 8th, 2016|Categories: Fact Sheet, Hemodialysis, The Kidney Citizen|

(The Care and Feeding of Your Dialysis Access) By Dr. Steve Curtiss Problems with dialysis access are a leading cause of complications and hospitalizations of patients with kidney disease. The more patients understand about their access, the more they are empowered and can become an important part of the healthcare team, which leads to an improved quality of life by staying out of the hospital and having efficient dialysis. It is also important for patients not yet on dialysis to understand the types of dialysis access available so they can be prepared and make informed choices about dialysis access when [...]

Basic Facts about Kidney Disease

2024-03-28T21:05:14-04:00March 8th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Fact Sheet, Home Hemodialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Peritoneal Dialysis, What Is Kidney Disease|

Kidneys perform crucial functions within the body. When they fail there are only four treatment pathways available: Hemodialysis uses a dialyzer to act as an artificial kidney, peritoneal dialysis uses the body's own abdominal lining to filter wastes, a transplant comes from a living or deceased donor and palliative care is a strategy that aims to prevent stress and reduce pain at the end of life. Without hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis or a transplant, individuals with failing kidneys will die. Hemodialysis (HD)—Cleansing a patient’s blood of harmful toxins and excess fluids through use of an artificial kidney (dialyzer) and hemodialysis machine. [...]

Study Shows CDC Intervention Tools Decrease Infection Rates for Hemodialysis Patients

2024-06-07T11:38:27-04:00February 26th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Hemodialysis|

Bloodstream infections are the second leading cause of death for hemodialysis patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) prevention tools, also called the Core Interventions, provide dialysis facilities with a guide on how to prevent bloodstream infections. A recent study found that dialysis facilities that implemented CDC’s infection prevention tools such as improving staff hygiene and increasing patient education on better catheter maintenance, had a 44 percent decrease in bloodstream infections for patients. These resources are free and available to anyone on the CDC’s website.

Education Manager & Nephrology Nurse Joanne Smith Provides Education on Treatment Options for Kidney Patients

2024-03-28T21:06:17-04:00April 29th, 2015|Categories: eNews, Home Hemodialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, News & Events, Peritoneal Dialysis, Webinar|

On April 9, Education Manager Joanne Smith hosted an educational conference call and webinar on treatment options for kidney patients. Smith has been a nephrology nurse for 32 years, and provides in-home training to patients on peritoneal and hemodialysis. Click here to listen to a recording of the call and view the accompanying Powerpoint slides.

Setting up Your Home Dialysis Unit without Feeling like You’re Living in an ICU: Tackling the Storage Problem

2024-03-28T21:06:29-04:00May 28th, 2014|Categories: Home Hemodialysis|

By Linda Gromko, MD and Jane C. McClure, Interior Designer When Linda and her husband, Steve Williams, brought Steve’s dialysis machine home, they felt reasonably confident about the mechanics of home dialysis. But the next day – when sixteen cubic feet of dialysis supplies arrived, they felt overwhelmed! After all, who has even one extra storage closet just waiting to be used? How could they incorporate all this “stuff” into their already busy household? Sound familiar? (Now, it’s true that the newer procedure of preparing dialysate from tap water and storing a couple of batches under the machine will minimize the sheer quantity [...]

Setting up Your Home Dialysis Unit without Feeling like You’re Living in an ICU: Designing Your Home Dialysis Unit

2024-03-28T21:06:31-04:00April 10th, 2014|Categories: eNews, Home Hemodialysis|

By Linda Gromko, MD and Jane C. McClure, Interior Designer This is the third of a four-part series on “Setting Up Your Home Dialysis Unit Without Feeling like You’re Living in an ICU!” We’ve already covered “Top Ten Considerations,” and “Setting Up with Safety First.” In this entry, we discuss the very basics of setting up your unit. Next time, we’ll address storage! The whole process of dialyzing at home can be daunting at first, but the benefits are well worth the effort. Dialyzing at home can provide the ultimate in personal flexibility – plus, more dialysis and more frequent dialysis [...]

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