End Stage Kidney Disease
End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) is a condition whereby a person's kidneys are no longer able to provide the body with vital functions required for day-to-day living. This can manifest as multiple signs or symptoms to include severe appetite loss and malnutrition, abnormalities with the body's potassium or acid levels, or fluid overload no longer responding to medication therapy. If you are progressing to ESKD your doctor will discuss with you the option of pursing a treatment for ESKD known as dialysis.
While not all patients with chronic kidney disease progress to ESKD, those that do require specialized counseling and coordinated care that your Kidney Care team is trained to provide:
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) education. In order to better understand what dialysis is and what options we can provide you if you should progress to ESKD, your doctor may refer you to a registered nurse in our office specialized in CKD education. These discussions will include the different forms of dialysis as well as the option of conservative management for those who decide to not to pursue dialysis.
- Dialysis Access Management. Patients who choose to pursue dialysis will require the placement of some form of dialysis "access" in order to undergo this therapy. For those patients choosing hemodialysis, we recommend the timely placement of something called an arteriovenous (AV) fistula or graft. For those choosing peritoneal dialysis, you will require the placement of a catheter in your abdomen. Your Kidney Care team includes 5 surgeons specialized in the creation of all forms of dialysis access with the goal of helping you initiate dialysis in a safe and timely fashion.
- Different Dialysis Modalities. Dialysis is a major transition in anyone's life and we at Kidney Care wish to provide you with therapies that not only help you feel better but also suit your lifestyle. To that end, we offer several types – or modalities – of dialysis in order to best suit your needs:
- In-center Hemodialysis: dialysis offered by specialized staff during the day and early evening hours in one of our local dialysis units
- Nocturnal Hemodialysis: dialysis offered 3 nights per week for those patients that prefer in-center dialysis with benefits having their days free to work or pursue other activities
- Home Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis: home-based therapies are growing in popularity as they provide the patient with more control and flexibility by dialyzing on a schedule more suited to their lifestyle. Learn more about Kidney Care's specialized home therapy staff and dialysis training center by asking your doctor or CKD nurse
