What solution is used to prime blood lines and a dialyzer before initiating dialysis?

Normal saline is the appropriate solution used to prime blood lines and a dialyzer before initiating dialysis. It is an isotonic solution, meaning it has the same osmotic pressure as blood, which helps to prevent any fluid shifts that could potentially harm a patient’s cells during the priming process. This is crucial as the goal is to prepare the blood lines and dialyzer, ensuring they are free of air bubbles and filled with a compatible fluid that will not cause an adverse reaction when blood is introduced.

Using normal saline also helps to maintain appropriate volume and electrolyte balance in the vascular system during the dialysis procedure. Unlike other options, normal saline is safe, readily available, and has a well-understood role in clinical settings related to dialysis, making it the preferred choice for priming.

Other solutions like sterile water or glucose solution wouldn't be appropriate for this purpose, as sterile water lacks electrolytes necessary to maintain blood osmolality, and glucose solutions could lead to complications, such as osmotic shifts or affecting blood glucose levels. Heparin solution, while used in dialysis to prevent clotting, is not suitable for priming because its anticoagulant properties could interfere with the effectiveness of the priming process and the patient’s coagulation status.