Renal replacement

Abstract

There are few, if any, technological advancements in the field of medicine that have been able to transform a life-threatening condition, in this case, end-stage renal failure, from a certain and horrible death, just some 100 years ago, to a condition manageable within the confines of one’s home. This refresher course, by no means a comprehensive text on peritoneal or haemodialysis, aims to provide the reader (a pre-part one FCA candidate) with the following brief overview: 1. A short history of dialysis 2. The basic physiology of fluid and solute exchange employed in renal replacement therapy (RRT) 3. The physical principals of RRT 4. Modality.