Free

E-Newsletters

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

  • Housecall
  • Alzheimer's caregiving
  • Living with cancer

Image

Peritoneal dialysis

Illustration showing peritoneal dialysis

Peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of your abdominal cavity, called the peritoneal membrane, to clean waste from your blood. Your peritoneal cavity is filled with dialysis solution via a catheter. Over several hours, the solution draws waste out of the lining's blood vessels. The fluid is then drained and replaced, starting the process over again.
IM00801

© 1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger