Complications
All in all, dialysis is a safe medical procedure with few complications. The most vulnerable component in dialysis therapy is the shunt. As with all invasive procedures, there is a certain basic risk that an infection will spread, which in the worst case can lead to sepsis.
However, this risk is extremely low. It is more common for the shunt to be closed by incipient coagulation: It forms into a thrombus. In this case, the thrombus can be surgically removed by a surgeon.
In the worst case, a new shunt must be placed elsewhere. Many dialysis patients have other underlying diseases, some of which can lead to secondary problems. For example, in the case of overhydrated patients with restricted heart function, care must be taken to ensure that the pumping capacity is sufficient.
Because of chronic kidney disease, it is especially important to control the amount of water drunk during the day. The rule of thumb for the amount of water to be drunk per day is urine residual excretion plus 500ml. In addition, nutrition also plays a not inconsiderable role.
Low protein meals are recommended because the body converts many components of proteins, the amino acids, into potentially toxic substances that the kidneys can no longer excrete. Here, nitrogen plays a decisive role, from which ammonia, which damages nerve cells, is produced. Even food that contains a lot of potassium – bananas, kale, wheat germ – should not be eaten or only in moderation.
A constant level of potassium in the blood is extremely important for normal heart work. Both too high and too low potassium levels can be responsible for the spontaneous occurrence of faulty heart actions. Overall, it can be said that dialysis is a low-complication and equally important measure that ensures the survival of a large number of patients with terminal kidney failure worldwide or bridges the time until a kidney transplantation without unduly restricting the quality of life.
