Home dialysis therapies

Abstract

Home dialysis therapies offer a significant benefit to patients in respect of quality of life and autonomy, as compared with in-centre haemodialysis. There is significant unwarranted variation across the world in the availability of both peritoneal dialysis (PD) and home haemodialysis, which has led in the UK to a recommendation of a minimum 20% prevalent rate of dialysis patients at home. Key advances in PD have included changes in the approach to prescribing PD and the use of assisted dialysis. Peritonitis remains a significant complication which may present to general physicians and needs prompt recognition and treatment. The development of novel small dialysis machines has led to a resurgence of interest in home haemodialysis.