Which treatment uses a machine to filter wastes from the blood in kidney failure?

• A. Peritoneal dialysis
• B. Hemodialysis
• C. Kidney transplant
• D. Dialysis catheterization

Answer: (B)

Hemodialysis. This treatment uses a machine, the dialyzer, to clean the blood outside the body. Blood is pumped from the patient through the machine, where wastes (like urea and creatinine) and excess fluids diffuse across a semipermeable membrane into the dialysis fluid, and then the cleaned blood is returned. Vascular access such as an arteriovenous fistula or graft (or a catheter) is used to connect the bloodstream to the machine. This approach is distinct from peritoneal dialysis, which relies on the abdominal lining and dialysate rather than a machine, and from kidney transplant, which replaces the kidney surgically rather than filtering blood.