Kidney Failure & Dialysis
- The kidneys might not work properly for several reasons, including injury or disease
- Humans can survive with one functioning kidney, but if both are damaged then there will quickly be a build-up of toxic urea
- This build-up can be fatal so treatment is essential
- Dialysis is the usual treatment for someone with kidney failure
- Patients are connected to a dialysis machine which removes most of the urea and restores the water and salt balance of the blood
Kidney failure options diagram
People who suffer from kidney failure may be treated by organ transplant or dialysis