Dialysis vs Kidney Transplant – Which to Choose?

Patients who have progressed to Stage 5 CKD or say End Stage Renal Failure (ESRD) would need some form of intervention to sustain their lives. The options available to them are:

• Kidney Transplantation
• Haemodialysis
• Peritoneal Dialysis

Kidney Transplant:

This is the treatment of choice for patients with ESRD. In Kidney transplantation, a kidney is donated to the patient from the family member and the patient enjoys a normal life thereafter. Lot of investigations are done on Donor to ensure that they remain healthy after donation.

This form of treatment is actually cheaper in long term and gives the patient best quality and longevity of life. Patients have to be under regular follow up, have to take medications lifelong. And Transplant is associated with inherit property of rejection form the day of transplant to till the kidney lasts.

Haemodialysis:

Haemodialysis is purification of blood by artificial kidney. All the functions of kidneys are not supplemented by dialysis and hence in this also the patients have to be on medications lifelong However this treatment is usually recommended for 2 to 3 times a week and hence patients have to travel to hospital to get the same. The quality of dialysis delivered determines the long term outcomes of these patients.

Peritoneal Dialysis:

In this form of dialysis, a catheter is placed in abdomen. Specially designed fluids called dialysate are available. This is instilled inside the abdomen 3 – 4 times a day, depending on the need. This form of dialysis can be done at home. Patient or the attendant is trained to do the procedure. Infections are the most common complication in this dialysis.