Peritoneal Dialysis

Also known as: PD.

What is peritoneal dialysis?

Peritoneal dialysis is a form of dialysis, which is a treatment that filters and cleans the blood when the kidneys no longer work. Most types of dialysis occur at a treatment center, but peritoneal dialysis is a form that a patient can do at home or at work.

What happens during the procedure?

An IV bag delivers a cleansing fluid into the abdomen, where the fluid filters waste products from the blood. This fluid then carries the waste products out of the abdomen after a set period of time.
 

Is any special preparation needed? 

Patients generally need education and training in order to properly perform the peritoneal dialysis procedure on themselves.

What are the risk factors? 

Infection, hernia, weight gain or the dialysis not being performed properly are potential risks related to peritoneal dialysis.

Reviewed by: Felix I Ramirez-Seijas, MD

This page was last updated on: September 16, 2025 12:42 PM