There are different medical ways to compensate for malfunctioning kidneys. This article will explain to you the basic treatment therapy options for renal failure.
What kidney replacement therapies are available and which ones should you consider?
If it becomes apparent that your kidney will no longer function adequately, your nephrologist will explain the various options to you at an early stage. Ultimately, the preferred form of therapy is your decision. Your nephrologist should support you and check whether your preferred form of therapy is also medically possible.
A basic distinction is made between the following four treatment options for kidney failure:
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Kidney transplantation
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Peritoneal dialysis (at a dialysis center or at home)
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Hemodialysis (at a dialysis center or at home)
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Conservative / palliative therapy
How exactly these different forms of treatment work is explained to you in detail in other articles in the Mizu app.
How many people need renal replacement therapy?
There are more than 3 million people worldwide who are dialyzing with either peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis, or are transplanted.
Although the type of treatment varies greatly from country to country, most people do hemodialysis. Worldwide, about 7 out of 10 people choose hemodialysis at the center. In Germany, this proportion is even higher.
Is kidney transplantation the best choice?
For many people, a kidney transplant would be the preferred choice. This is mainly because a transplant is the least restrictive to everyday life. However, you will have to take strong medications, such as immunosuppressants for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, there are not enough donor organs available. In Germany the current waiting time for a kidney donation is more than 7 years, in other countries it can be different. Basically in terms of waiting time, one speaks of years and not of months.
But a transplantation may not be an option for you, be it for personal or for medical reasons. Therefore, it is not necessarily always the best or preferred option. In the beginning, you will most certainly have many questions about the different treatment options. In the Mizu app, we explain to you the possible treatment options in detail.
How do I decide on the right procedure?
Deciding on a kidney replacement procedure depends on many factors, like your health and your environment. Your work and what you do, as well as where and how you live should be considered in combination with your medical records.
You can also find various questionnaires on the Internet to get a better feel for what your preferred treatment option might be.
While your nephrologist is obligated to educate you on the different options, the choice of therapy is ultimately your decision. In this, your doctor should of course support the medical side of the decision-making process.
