What Is Peritoneal Dialysis?

Peritoneal dialysis is a type of treatment that utilizes an individual's peritoneum or abdominal lining and a special fluid to filter the blood when the kidneys are unable to do so. Dialysis must be used, or kidney transplantation is required, when the kidneys cannot filter blood any longer. The kidneys remove excess waste substances and water from the blood so they can leave the body through the urine. When the kidneys are unable to function without some form of medical treatment, it is called kidney disease. Kidney disease can lead to kidney failure, which is characterized by kidneys with less than fifteen percent functionality. It is common for affected individuals to undergo dialysis until they can receive a new kidney. Hemodialysis utilizes a machine to externally filter blood, while peritoneal dialysis uses a mechanism to filter it internally.