Acute Peritoneal Dialysis (APD) is a form of therapy used to treat patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) or chronic kidney failure when other forms of dialysis, such as hemodialysis, are not suitable. It utilizes the peritoneal cavity (the space within the abdomen) as a natural dialysis membrane to remove waste products and excess fluids from the blood.
How Acute Peritoneal Dialysis Works
Procedure: A surgical catheter is inserted into the peritoneal cavity through a small incision in the abdomen. This catheter is used to infuse and drain dialysis fluid (dialysate) from the abdominal cavity.
Placement: It is placed under sterile conditions and can be done in a hospital setting or, in some cases, as an outpatient procedure.
Dialysate: A sterile fluid containing electrolytes, glucose, and other substances is infused into the peritoneal cavity through the catheter.
Dwell Time: The fluid remains in the peritoneal cavity for a specific period, allowing waste products and excess fluids to diffuse from the blood vessels in the abdominal lining into the dialysate.
Draining: After the dwell time, the used dialysate, which contains waste products and excess fluids, is drained out of the peritoneal cavity through the catheter.
Replacement: Fresh dialysate is then infused into the peritoneal cavity to initiate another cycle.
Intermittent: The process can be performed manually (Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis – CAPD) several times a day, or through a machine (Automated Peritoneal Dialysis – APD) during the night.
Cycles: Each cycle typically involves infusing dialysate, allowing it to dwell for a set period, and then draining it.
Types of Acute Peritoneal Dialysis
Manual Process: It is performed manually by the patient or caregiver throughout the day.
Cycles: This process involves 3 to 4 exchanges of dialysate each day.
Machine-Assisted: A machine is used to perform the dialysis exchanges, typically during the night while the patient sleeps.
Convenience: This method reduces the need for manual exchanges and allows for more consistent dialysis.