Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis For the majority of Americans, dialysis is a confusing process that they hopefully never have to endure, but for hundreds of thousands of people , it is a daily reality. According to US News and World Report, “In the United States, nearly 400,000 people undergo dialysis each year. » (Gordon, 2012, paragraph 4) Their lives revolve around dialysis three days a week for three to four hours per treatment, usually in an outpatient clinic. Although dialysis can prolong the lives of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the three days a week to that clinic can feel like a never-ending cycle of discomfort and inconvenience. Fortunately, the ESRD patient has more than one option, namely peritoneal dialysis. Traditional hemodialysis (HD) is provided to the patient in an outpatient clinic often called a chronic unit. Patients must come to the chronic care unit to be hooked up to the dialysis machine which circulates their blood through a dialyzer, removing toxins and excess fluid. This dialyzer is a transparent plastic tube that contains thousands of microfibers that keep blood flowing while allowing diffusion to remove unwanted components from the blood. The majority of dialysis patients use it as their primary method of treatment; however, some patients find the treatment harsh and uncomfortable. These patients often seek alternative treatments such as peritoneal dialysis. The human body has the ability to be modified to allow dialysis in the peritoneal cavity instead of the extracorporeal method used in hemodialysis. This cavity is located in the abdomen and is accessible through a tube called a peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter. The ...... middle of paper ...... common side effect of PD and poses a daily challenge for the patient at home. The patient should continually monitor for signs and symptoms of infection, such as pain, fever, or abdominal swelling. HD patients are aware of the risk of access infection, but tend to rely on the clinic nurse to recognize and treat the infection. Overall, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis provide life-saving treatments to patients who would otherwise die. Deciding which one to choose depends as much on lifestyle as it does medicine, and patients should weigh their options carefully and use the resources provided to them by their dialysis clinic. Works Cited Gordon, S. (February 23, 2012). According to research, it is better to rely more on kidney dialysis. US News & World Report. Retrieved from http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/02/23/more-kidney-dialysis-is-better-research-finds