Haemodialysis

What is a haemodialysis?

Western hospital provides hemodialysis services in Sri Lanka. Hemodialysis is a way to eliminate waste products from the blood when the kidneys can no longer do their job effectively. In hemodialysis, a machine filters wastes, salts and fluid from the blood. Hemodialysis is the most common way to treat kidney failure.

In hemodialysis, blood is removed from the body and filtered through a filter called a dialyzer, or an artificial kidney, and the filtered blood is returned to the body.

How to prepare for haemodialysis?

• Our dialysis includes initial screening by our expert nephrologists, blood screening tests, insertion of AV Fistula or using existing perm catheters for hemodialysis.

• To perform hemodialysis, there needs to be an access point in the patient’s body to get the blood from the body to the dialyzer and back into the body. There are three types of access points for hemodialysis which are undertaken in Western Hospital:
  • Arterio-venous (AV) fistula
  • AV graft
  • central venous catheter (HD cath)

What Happens during a Haemodialysis?

The haemodialysis treatment takes about 4-5 hours. Here is what happens:

• When you want to receive a heamodialysis for the first time, Our dialysis procedure includes:
  • initial screening by our expert nephrologists,
  • blood screening tests, (Hep B,Hep C, HIV ect.)
  • insertion of AV Fistula for hemodialysis, only then followed to dialysis.
• When a patient goes to receive the green light for hemodialysis, the nurse initially undertakes an initial assessment where vital signs, BMI and other details will be checked.
• Based on the patients weight will indicate how much excess fluid the patient needs to be removed during the treatment.
• After which the patient is then connected to the machine where it will track blood flow, blood pressure, the amount of fluid removed, and other vital information while also undertaking the dialysis.
• When the procedure is done a nurse may advice you on the next date of dialysis and will open a comprehensive medical file for the patient.