Home Dialysis Specialist
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Merit Health Care, P.C.
Nephrologists located in Sylacauga, AL & Talladega, AL
When you need dialysis to manage end-stage kidney failure, you may be a candidate for home dialysis. At Merit Health Care, PC, board-certified nephrologist Ghayas Habach, MD, MPH, offers complete home dialysis services so that you can receive your daily treatments in the comfort of your own home. Home dialysis saves you from traveling to the office several times a week and can also improve your overall quality of life. To find out if home dialysis is right for you, call the office in Talladega or Sylacauga, Alabama, today or schedule an appointment online.
Home Dialysis Q & A
What is home dialysis?
Dialysis is a procedure that helps remove excess fluids from your body and blood with the assistance of a machine.
People who have end-stage kidney failure need regular dialysis to prevent a buildup of fluids in their bodies that can cause serious health complications and premature death. They must continue dialysis for the rest of their lives, unless they receive a kidney transplant.
Home dialysis allows you to receive treatment for end-stage kidney failure in the comfort of your own home, so you don’t have to travel to the office several times a week.
What’s involved in home dialysis?
The team at Merit Health Care, PC, offers two types of home dialysis to help you get the treatment you need. This includes peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis.
Home peritoneal dialysis
Peritoneal dialysis uses a catheter that connects the peritoneal cavity in your abdomen to the dialysis machine. Through the catheter, a salt solution and other fluids flow from a bag into the abdomen to cleanse your blood of excess waste.
After the fluids sit for some time, you may need to drain them and repeat the process. You can do this type of dialysis several times a day or overnight.
Home hemodialysis
Hemodialysis uses a machine (dialyzer) to do the work of the kidneys and filter waste materials from your blood. Your blood flows from your blood vessels through a catheter to the dialyzer, which cleans your blood before sending it back to your body.
To create an access point for the catheter, Dr. Habach performs a minimally invasive surgery to create an opening in your abdomen for peritoneal dialysis. For hemodialysis, he creates the access by joining a vein and artery together to create a larger structure, known as a fistula.
What home dialysis services are available?
The team at Merit Health Care, PC, provides complete home dialysis education and assistance to get you set up for your treatments.
They train you and your loved ones how to care for your access point after surgery and how to use the dialysis equipment. This training can take a week or longer until you feel comfortable doing the treatments on your own.
You can also access the equipment and other resources you need at Merit Health Care, PC, to continue with home dialysis treatments. The team provides follow-up care in the office to ensure your treatment is working well and to monitor your chronic kidney disease.
To learn more about the benefits of home dialysis, call the Merit Health Care, PC, office nearest you today or book an appointment online.
