Statistics

More than 5000 people in Scotland suffer from kidney failure with approximately 3000 having a kidney transplant and 2000 on dialysis. The most common causes of kidney failure in the UK are diabetes, high blood pressure, glomerulonephritis and polycystic kidney disease. In many cases the cause is unknown. Treatment options include kidney transplantation, peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis.

Kidney Transplantation

Under general anaesthetic a donated kidney is inserted into the lower abdomen where it is plumbed into the blood vessels and bladder in that region. The operation takes about 3 hours. Between a quarter to a third of kidney patients with kidney failure are fit enough for this procedure. Many kidneys are donated by someone who has died, but also people such as relatives or close friends of the patient may opt to become living donors and donate a kidney - 500 people in the UK have become living donors in the last 10 years. People can also donate a kidney to a stranger, which is known as altruistic living kidney donation. After having transplant surgery you must take medication for as long as you have the kidney transplant to prevent rejection.

Peritoneal Dialysis

This process is when the blood is cleaned inside the body by using the peritoneum - a thin membrane lining inside of the abdomen and the major organs - to filter and remove the waste products. A dialysis fluid is run into the abdominal cavity through a tube called the PD catheter and then out again. The procedure is carried out 4 times daily (taking abouit 20 minutes each time) or overnight by means of a machine at home (automated peritoneal dialysis).

Haemodialysis

This process removes waste products from the blood and balances the blood chemistry by passing the blood through a filtering system (dialyser) and returning it to the body. You are connected to a machine by needles into a fistula in the arm. This procedure usually takes 4-5 hours, 3 times per week.