Penn's Peritoneal Dialysis Program offers comprehensive dialysis care as part of the Home Dialysis Program. Our motto is "We offer home dialysis therapies to all patients without bias or prejudice”. About 10-12 percent of people in the U.S. are on peritoneal dialysis. At Penn, 20 percent of our dialysis patients are on this option. Thirty-five percent of patients choose this option when they start diaysis. Our peritoneal dialysis program has excellent outcomes, exceeding the national average.
What is Peritoneal Dialysis?
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a bloodless, needle-free system that uses the lining of the organs in the abdomen as a natural filtering system. During peritoneal dialysis, a surgically implanted catheter or plastic tube attached to a peritoneal dialysis machine or a detachable bag containing sterile dialysis solution is used to move fluid in and out of the belly. When fluid goes in, waste products and extra fluid are absorbed into the dialysis fluid. That fluid is removed and new fluid is put back in to the body. Peritoneal dialysis is a fairly simple procedure and can easily be done at home with the proper training.
What To Expect
Patients who choose this option:
- Have two options for treatment. Patients just starting dialysis and still make some urine do 1-3 manual “exchanges” per day by connecting to a detachable bag containing dialysis fluid without a machine. Eventually, most patients hook up to a PD machine every night, and dialysis occurs automatically while they sleep in the comfort of their own home.
- Receive all the benefits of other home dialysis programs, including greater convenience, flexible schedules and improved health.
- Feel well after treatment and are able to have a productive day.
- Eliminate the need for travel to and from a dialysis facility.
- Receive the same care and support of other home dialysis programs, including training from highly skilled staff and 24/7 access to on-call physicians and nurses.
- Come in once a month for a multidisciplinary clinic that includes a nurse, doctor, dietitian and a social worker. Often these visits can be done by telemedicine.
- Prefer their days free.
- Have the flexibility to travel, as the machine is small and portable.
- Do not require surgery on the arm for hemodialysis access, but instead have a plastic tube surgically placed in the belly that is covered by clothing and is not visible to other people. The tube is removed if a patient has a kidney transplant.