State-of-the-art Dialysis Treatment - Free of Charge!
At Renal Care Foundation, we provide deserving patients with free dialysis treatment. Our qualified staff utilizes modern machinery to ensure safe and continuous treatment for those in need.
What is Dialysis Treatment?
Dialysis is a life-saving medical treatment performed through a dialyser - a machine that works the same as our kidneys do. When someone suffers from chronic kidney disease or kidney failure, the kidneys stop performing their functions of removing harmful waste, toxins, and excess fluids from the body. The dialysis treatment is an alternative way to perfomr kidney functions to keep patients healthy.
Types of Dialysis
Primarily, there are two types of dialysis treatment used to perfomr the functions of failing kidneys. Both methods are effective in filtering blood and eliminating wastes from your body.
Hemodialysis
It is a commonly used form of dialysis treatment that requires a special machine, a dialyzer (also referred to as an artificial kidney), to clean blood.
- How the Treatment Works: During Hemodialysis, the blood is gently drawn from a vascular access point in the patient’s arm and goes through the dialyzer machine. Dialyzer filters toxins and excess fluids from the blood, and then your blood safely returns to your body. The process is pain-free; however, patients may feel a slight pinch when a dialyzer operator inserts needles into their body.
- Duration of Hemodialysis: One dialysis session requires 3 to 4 hours, and patients require at least three sessions a week to live a normal life.
- Best For: Hemodialysis is performed in a highly monitored environment. So, patients looking for a personalized treatment through professional medical staff choose hemodialysis.
Peritoneal Dialysis
Peritoneal Dialysis is another way to relieve dialysis patients. This particular method filters the blood inside the patient’s body rather than using an external machine or dialyzer.
- How This Treatment Works: In this process, dialysate (a sterile cleansing fluid) is entered into the abdomen through a small, permanent catheter. The peritoneum, that are the lining of the abdomen, acts as a natural filter and absorbs extra fluids and waste from the blood vessels. After a few hours, the used fluid is drained out and replaced with fresh fluid to keep the process continuing until all the blood is filtered out. Compared to hemodialysis, patients feel that peritoneal dialysis. Similar to hemodialysis, the process is pain-free; however, some patients may feel uncomfortable due to cold and bloating.
- Duration of Peritoneal Dialysis: The process needs to be done multiple times a day to complete the filtration process. Unlike hemodialysis, that required to be done in a clinic or hospital, paritoneal dialysis can be done anywhere – at home, work, or while travelling.
- Best For: Peritoneal dialysis is the best option for patients who want to maintain their daily work schedule without visiting the dialysis center frequently.
Preventive Measures for Dialysis Patients
Kidney patients require continuous dialysis treatment (at least 3 sessions a week) to live a healthy life. Besides this, they also follow some strict preventive measures to avoid medical complications and ensure the treatment is as effective as possible.
Strict Diet Plan
As patients’ kidneys fail to filter waste from the body, managing the diet is crucial for them to avoid problems. Below are the diet recommendations that kidney patients must keep in mind.
Limit Sodium Intake:
Foods enriched with high sodium amount cause fluid retention. It can strain your heart and increase blood pressure.
Monitor Potassium and Phosphorus:
High buildup of potassium in your body can affect heart rate. On the other hand, too much phosphorus causes bone weakness. Patients must avoid foods rich in potassium and phosphorus and plan their diet as their healthcare advisors or nutritionists recommend.
Take Protenacious Food:
The dialysis process can remove required protein from the patient’s body. So, consuming foods rich in high-quality protein is recommended to maintain muscle mass and strength.
Fluid Intake
Kidney patients may experience fluid buildup within the body between dialysis sessions, as the failing kidneys cannot effectively produce urine. Patients must follow the given measures to stay healthy:
Limit Fluid Intake:
For kidney patients, measuring daily fluid intake is crucial to avoid swelling, sudden weight gain, and shortness of breath.
Prevention of Cardiovascular Strain:
Managing fluid in your body prevents it from building up in the heart and lungs. It protects patients from sudden cardiovascular emergencies.
Protect Your Vascular Access Point
The vascular access point, also known as a catheter or fistula, is a lifeline for every kidney patient. Performing dialysis can be difficult if this point gets infected or blocked. Here are the preventive measures to keep this opening protected for smooth dialysis sessions:
Keep it Clean and Dry:
Kidney patients need to wash the access area daily and look for signs of infection, such as warmth, swelling, redness, or soreness.
Protect the Access Arm:
Patients must avoid wearing tight clothes and jewelry to keep the arm protected. Other preventive measures are to avoid sleeping on the access arm and applying pressure on it.
Medication and Treatment Compliance
Kidney patients must keep in mind that their lives depend on the quality of continuous care and treatment. Ignoring the needed care can lead to serious problems.
Do not miss any dialysis sessions:
Patients require 2 to 3 dialysis sessions a week to stay healthy. Ensure you do not miss a single session, as it can allow dangerous toxins to build up rapidly in your bloodstream.
Take Prescribed Medicines:
Renal patients are prescribed to take several medicines, such as blood pressure medications and others, based on their conditions. Ensure you take the exact medications as prescribed by your healthcare professionals.
The Role of Renal Care Foundation
Renal Care Foundation was established with the mission to facilitate poor kidney patients who cannot afford their treatment. From patient counselling to community awareness and dialysis treatment, we take care of patients who really deserve it.
100% Free Dialysis Treatment:
Poor kidney patients get 100% free state-of-the-art dialysis treatment. We provide a clean and well-equipped facility with strict sterilization protocols.
Community Awareness and Early Prevention:
At RCF, we do not just treat kidney disease; we also work to prevent it. Our team runs campaigns actively to educate the public on the leading causes of kidney failure. It helps them protect their health before dialysis becomes necessary.
Proper counselling for patients and families:
Our dedicated staff not only work to treat patients, but they also educate patients and their families. They provide patients and their families with proper diet plans, medications, and other preventive measures to avoid complications.
Support Dialysis Patients
RCF is a leading non-profit organization powered by donations. We collected your donations for meaningful purposes. Donate to RCF and support poor kidney patients to live the healthy lives they deserve!
Frequently Asked Questions
The major role of our kidneys is to remove extra fluids and wastes from our body.
Usually, two types of dialysis processes are used in Pakistan, including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. In Hemodialysis, a dialyzer or artificial kidney is used to filter out blood. However, in peritoneal dialysis, a special fluid is introduced to filter blood.
Kidney patients are recommended to avoid foods rich in sodium, as they can increase blood pressure. Besides this, a high amount of phosphorus and potassium is also forbidden as they can affect heart and bone health.
During dialysis sessions, required protein can be removed from the body. This is the reason nutritionists recommend that kidney patients eat protein-rich food.
No, RCF provides kidney patients with free-of-charge dialysis treatment with modern machines.
