For more than 30 years, dialysis has been a proven therapeutic intervention in sustaining life for patients with end-stage kidney disease. But how many of us understand what dialysis actually is?

Director of kidney transplants at Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center Dave Mainous says, "A kidney transplant obviously is the best way to treat people with kidney disease. But the other forms are 2 different kinds of dialysis."

Dave also says that about 90% of dialysis patients are on hemodialysis: this means a machine pumps blood out of the body, through a cleaning device that filters out waste and excess water, and sends the blood back. Most patients undergo dialysis about three times a week with each treatment lasting about three hours. "If you look at the quality of life with people with kidney disease. It keeps the patient alive and gets them to the point where they're able to sustain their life."

Nephrologist Joel Van Sickler says that the other form of dialysis is called peritoneal dialysis and that's when a "bag" is embedded into the patient's abdomen and their abdominal tissue linings filter out the blood, and capture it into the bag. Both ways of dialysis are for stage 5 kidney disease. "Stage 5 means that the kidney's have failed, they no longer can filter the impurities and that's when one actually has to consider dialysis."

Dave says to be sure to remember that even if you have to go on dialysis, it's important to remember that you may still qualify for a kidney transplant and be put on a waiting list. "After they have a kidney transplant everything changes. They're able to go places that they can't before because of the dialysis restrictions. Their energy returns."

The key in treating your kidney disease is slowing the progression by controlling health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure.

For more information on kidney donation and transplants you can call the Kidney Transplant Center at 239-939-8442.