Dialysis can remove toxic compounds and extra water from the body when the kidneys fail. This is accomplished through the application of technology that utilises the physical principles of diffusion, osmotic pressure, and convection. Peritoneal and Hemodialysis dialysis are the two most common kinds of dialysis.
Diffusion
To grasp the concept of diffusion, consider the following basic experiment from the science class: A thin wall divides an empty glass box into two half. Fine pores (small holes) run through the wall. The right half is then filled with clear fluid, while the left half is filled with coloured fluid. So, what’s next? The coloured particles in left half will diffuse (migrate) into the clear fluid in right half as they pass via pores in the permeable wall. Both fluids will eventually be the same colour. On both sides of the wall, the number of coloured particles in the water (concentration) is the same.
The following step is to drain the fluid from right side and replace it with new, clear fluid. Coloured particles will spread equally across the entire box as they move (diffuse) from left half to right half. If you repeat this technique multiple times, the half which was originally coloured will have absolutely no colour left.
Dialysis operates in a similar manner: the colourful fluid is blood. It comprises a variety of dissolved chemicals in the form of particles. It is brought extremely near to a liquid containing (dialysate for dialysis fluid) minimal particles during dialysis.
Only a tiny wall, known as a semipermeable membrane, separates the blood and dialysis solution. This barrier permits particles which the body wants to eliminate to flow through, but it prevents vital blood components (such as blood cells) from passing through.
Osmotic Pressure and Convection
Osmosis is a phenomenon that you may be familiar with from everyday life, such as when you sprinkle sugar on top of a dish of freshly sliced fruit.
Peritoneal dialysis, which removes extra water from the body, works on the same premise. The dialysis solution contains sugar, which helps to remove water from the blood.
Pressure is used in some dialysis techniques to “push” water out from the blood. Any dangerous compounds dissolved in water are also eliminated when the water is withdrawn. Convection is the technical word for this technique. Convection and diffusion can both be used in some hemodialysis machines.
How Does Dialysis Work?
Hemodialysis Work
Hemodialysis is done 3 times a week in a dialysis centre, with the patient connected to the machine by blood lines or catheters. A computer, a dialyzer, a pump, or filter, and dialysis solution or dialysate are all housed in a hemodialysis machine. During your treatment, the machine’s computer measures blood pressure, blood flow, and how much fluid is evacuated from your body. Blood is moved from your body to the dialyzer and then returned to your body by the pump. During your treatment, the dialyzer works as a replacement kidney. It’s a hollow plastic tube with a slew of microscopic filters inside. The blood is separated from the dialysate fluid by a semipermeable (spongelike) membrane. Waste materials are drawn from the blood by the dialysate fluid. This procedure removes excess bodily water and wastes from the blood. The poisoned dialysate and excess water are drained, and cleaned blood is restored to your body. The dialysis equipment also includes a number of safety features.
Peritoneal Dialysis Work
Peritoneal dialysis cleans the blood within the body, inside the abdominal cavity, rather than outside it (the hollow space which surrounds the organs in abdomen). The peritoneum (the lining of abdominal cavity) acts as a semipermeable membrane. The peritoneum is well-blooded and protects organs such as the small and big intestines.
A catheter is placed into the abdominal cavity before peritoneal dialysis begins. You can self-inject dialysis fluid in the abdomen with the catheter. From the peritoneum’s blood arteries, any hazardous compounds will diffuse in the dialysis fluid. Because the dialysis solution contains sugar or sugar-like compounds, osmosis removes extra water from the blood.
After a few hours, you remove the dialysis fluid from the abdominal cavity and replace this with new dialysis fluid as soon as possible, ensuring that your blood is constantly cleaned. You can use a cycler to drain and refill dialysis fluid automatically at night.
Conclusion
The kidneys are responsible for eliminating wastes and extra fluid from our bodies, as well as controlling blood pressure.
Dialysis is an artificial method of cleaning the blood by eliminating toxins, extra water, and other solutes if a person’s kidneys are no longer capable of doing so.
Dialysis is performed using technology that makes use of the physical concepts of diffusion, osmotic pressure, and convection. The two most frequent types of dialysis are peritoneal and hemodialysis.