What types of peritoneal dialysis are available?
There are two main types of peritoneal dialysis: Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) and Automated Peritoneal Dialysis (APD). CAPD (Continuous = all the time; Ambulatory = while your child is mobile). This is the most commonly used form of peritoneal dialysis and works by using gravity. It is carried out manually (by hand) throughout the day. A bag of fluid is warmed to body temperature (using a special heating machine) and placed at a high enough level to allow the fluid to drain into your child’s abdomen through a tube. When it has filtered the blood of waste products, chemicals and water, an empty bag is placed at a low enough level to allow the fluid to drain out of the abdomen through the tube. It takes around 30 to 40 minutes to carry out a ‘bag change’ as above and your child can stick to his or her normal routine between bag changes. Bag changes usually need to be carried out four times a day. APD (Automated = a machine changes the dialysis fluid) This system is us
