Which of the following is a common procedure in peritoneal dialysis?

In peritoneal dialysis, a critical procedure involves the instillation of dialysate into the abdominal cavity. This process is an essential part of how peritoneal dialysis functions. The dialysate, a sterile solution, is introduced into the peritoneal cavity through a catheter. This creates a semi-permeable membrane interface between the blood vessels in the peritoneal lining and the dialysate.

Through this membrane, waste products and excess fluids are drawn from the blood into the dialysate by diffusion and osmosis. After a set dwell time, the used dialysate, which now contains these waste products, is drained from the abdomen and replaced with fresh dialysate. This exchange process is repeated multiple times throughout the day or night, depending on the specific regimen.

This procedure is vital for managing patients with kidney failure, providing an alternative to hemodialysis, where blood is filtered through a machine, and demonstrating the unique method through which waste removal is achieved in peritoneal dialysis.