Question

extension & application

1. have you ever heard of the term dialysis? this is a medical treatment for the kidneys. people have to use this treatment if their kidneys dont work. research to find out what dialysis is and how it works. are there diseases that can damage the kidneys?

Explanation:

Dialysis is a medical procedure that performs the waste-filtering and fluid-balancing functions of failed kidneys. There are two main types: hemodialysis (filters blood outside the body via a machine and artificial kidney) and peritoneal dialysis (uses the body's abdominal lining as a filter with a special fluid).
Kidney-damaging diseases include chronic kidney disease (often from long-term high blood pressure or diabetes), glomerulonephritis (inflammation of kidney filtering units), polycystic kidney disease (genetic cysts on kidneys), and kidney infections like pyelonephritis.

Answer:

1. What dialysis is and how it works:

Dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment for kidney failure, replacing the kidney's core functions of removing waste, excess fluid, and balancing electrolytes in the blood.

• Hemodialysis: Blood is pumped out of the body into a dialyzer (artificial kidney), which uses a semipermeable membrane to filter out waste and extra fluid. Clean blood is then returned to the body. This typically requires 3-4 sessions per week at a clinic.
• Peritoneal Dialysis: A sterile dialysis fluid is infused into the abdominal cavity. The peritoneum (abdominal lining) acts as a filter, allowing waste and excess fluid from blood vessels to move into the fluid. The used fluid is drained and replaced, which can be done at home daily.

1. Diseases that damage the kidneys:

• Chronic kidney disease (CKD), often caused by long-standing diabetes or hypertension
• Glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the kidney's filtering structures, glomeruli)
• Polycystic kidney disease (a genetic disorder causing cysts to grow on kidneys)
• Pyelonephritis (a severe bacterial infection of the kidneys)
• Lupus nephritis (kidney inflammation from the autoimmune disease lupus)