Peritoneal dialysis at home

Information for patients from the Renal Department

You have been given this leaflet, as you are considering peritoneal dialysis at home. This leaflet will explain:

We hope it will help to answer some of the questions you may have. If you have any further questions or concerns, please speak to your unit consultant or nurse.

What are the advantages to having dialysis at home?

The clear advantage to having dialysis at home, is that you can have your dialysis treatments on days and at a time most convenient to you.

Other benefits to dialysing at home

How do I prepare for dialysis at home?

Peritoneal dialysis is delivered via a permanent tube placed in your abdomen. This tube can be placed as:

Your nurse or consultant will discuss this with you.

How often will I have peritoneal dialysis?

Peritoneal dialysis is a daily treatment. Fluid will always be inside your abdomen, allowing dialysis 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When you are not using the tube, you need to secure it to your abdomen with tape.

There are two ways to perform peritoneal dialysis.

  1. Individual bags given four times a day. Each bag exchange takes around 30 to 40 minutes. An example would be to exchange your bag at breakfast, lunch, teatime, and bedtime, but times are flexible.

  2. Or, you can have an overnight machine, where dialysis is given overnight while you sleep. The machine can be set up in advance, before you go to bed. How long you use the machine for, depends on the amount of dialysis you need. 

Can I still go on holiday when having dialysis at home? 

Yes. Holidays are easy to arrange. Dialysis fluids can be delivered to most countries. You need to speak to one of the dialysis nurses, as they will need to plan for this.

It is also important to have travel insurance in place before you travel. The Kent Kidney Patients Association has information regarding this.

How often will supplies be delivered to my home? 

A dialysis company will deliver supplies to your home each month. It is important that someone is home to receive the delivery.

Each month the company will ring you for a stock take, ready for the next months delivery. It is your responsibility to make sure this is correct. If you run out of supplies, you will need to collect the shortfall from the main unit at Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

Approximately 45 boxes of dialysis fluid plus ancillaries, will be delivered to your home each month. You will need a storage area the size of a three seater sofa. You must keep the fluid dry and frost free at all times.

Who should I contact if I have any questions or problems?

Although there are satellite units around Kent, home dialysis is based at Kent and Canterbury Hospital next to Marlowe Ward. Any problems with peritoneal dialysis are dealt with at the main unit on the Canterbury site. There are no peritoneal dialysis nurses in the satellite units and other hospitals.

Will I need to come to the hospital for reviews?

Yes. You still need to come to Kent and Canterbury Hospital for routine reviews of your treatment.

There is a nurse based in the community who may be able to see you at home at short notice.

We are able to provide routine consultant reviews in whichever of our clinics is closest to your home address:

Can anyone use dialysis at home? 

No. Dialysis at home is not appropriate for all patients. The following are some things you and your healthcare team will need to consider before a decision is made.

Who will show me what to do?

The training you will need can be done in your home or at the training centre in London. Please discuss this with the dialysis team at Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

What if I have questions or concerns? 

If you need more information about peritoneal dialysis, please contact Home Dialysis on 01227 864011. We will arrange a home visit. 

Further information