In peritoneal dialysis, a soft tube called a catheter is used to fill the abdominal cavity with a cleansing liquid called dialysate solution. The walls of the abdominal cavity are lined with a membrane called the peritoneum, which allows waste products and extra fluid to pass from your blood into the dialysate solution. The solution contains a sugar called dextrose that will pull extra fluid into the abdominal cavity.
These wastes and fluid then leave the body when the dialysate solution is drained and that used solution is then discarded. The process of draining and filling is called an "exchange" and may be done a few or several times each day, depending on the individual patient’s needs. Peritoneal dialysis can be performed in the home, usually while the child sleeps, without a health professional present. Training is available under this circumstance.
Alternative Forms of Peritoneal Dialysis
Different types of PD will have different schedules of daily exchanges. One form of PD, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), doesn't require a machine but exchanges may be done manually a few times during the day. As the word “ambulatory” suggests, the patient can walk around with the dialysate solution in the abdomen. Another form of PD, continuous cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis (CCPD), requires a machine called a cycler to fill and drain the abdomen, usually at night while the patient is asleep. CCPD is also sometimes called automated peritoneal dialysis (APD).