Dialysis is needed when your own kidneys are no longer healthy enough to take care of your body’s needs.

What is Dialysis

When your kidneys fail (end stage kidney failure), dialysis helps keep your body in balance. Dialysis is an artificial process that removes waste and extra water from your blood. The procedure can help you feel better and live longer, but it is not a cure for kidney failure.

Types of Dialysis

There are two types of dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Both are offered at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, OK.

• Hemodialysis—a machine filters waste and excess fluid from your blood
  
  
• Peritoneal dialysis—a thin tube (catheter) is inserted into your belly, and a dialysis solution washes in and out of your belly in cycles

Your physician will help you decide which type of dialysis is best for you. Whichever type of dialysis you and your physician choose, it is very important to participate in the program as often as your doctor recommends. Following your prescribed treatment schedule will allow you to stay as healthy as possible and feel better.

Learn More About Healthcare Services Provided Through Saint Francis

The physicians, staff and volunteers of Saint Francis Health System are dedicated to the healthcare of our communities in eastern Oklahoma. To learn more about services provided through Saint Francis, please call Saint Francis HealthLink at 918-488-6688