Home hemodialysis (HHD) is a process in which people with kidney failure complete their dialysis treatments at home as opposed to a dialysis clinic. There can be many advantages to home hemodialysis; one of the biggest benefits is that the patients have more control over when dialysis is completed. This often allows for more freedom, thus generally improving a patient's quality of life.
The kidneys are the organ responsible for removing waste from the blood, so if they are not working properly, another method must be used. Hemodialysis is a process that removes the patient's blood through a needle. The blood is then cycled through a dialysis machine, or dialyzer, where it is cleaned by removing the waste products. The clean blood is then cycled back into the patient's body through another needle.
The option of home hemodialysis became available in the 1960s, but has become more popular in recent years. Home dialysis machines are generally smaller and easier to transport. In addition, people who perform home hemodialysis are able to set their own schedules and complete dialysis treatments more frequently, which helps reduce the negative buildup of waste products in the blood and allows the patient to feel better for longer periods of time.
Patients who travel to a dialysis center for treatment generally go three times a week for three to five hours at a time, and studies have shown that after these treatments patients may feel exhausted and sick for several hours. For patients who do their treatments at home, however, the recovery time is often shorter because they can do them more often. There are two types of home hemodialysis treatment: short daily treatments or long nightly treatments. Short daily treatments are generally performed five to six days a week for two to three hours at a time, while long nightly dialysis is done three to six nights a week while the patient is sleeping. This method is considered to be easier on the patient’s body.
Training is necessary for patients who choose to do home hemodialysis, and it generally takes anywhere from three to eight weeks to complete. Patients work with a dialysis nurse to learn how to perform the dialysis themselves. It is often recommended that patients have someone who can help them and be there during their home treatment in case of an emergency or to perform certain tasks.
One of the tasks that a patient must learn in order to perform home hemodialysis includes preparing and placing the needles in the access point, which is the same for every treatment. Other tasks include checking blood pressure during treatment, monitoring the dialysis machine, cleaning the equipment in between use, ordering supplies, and keeping records. Patients who receive home dialysis usually visit their doctor monthly to check their levels and make sure that the home treatment is working properly.
