Hemodialysis

the use of an artificial KIDNEY to remove waste products from a person's BLOOD using the principle of DIALYSIS . It is carried out when a person's kidneys have ceased to function and involves passing blood from an ARTERY into the dialyser on one side of a semipermeable membrane. On the other side of the membrane, a solution of ELECTROLYTES of similar composition to the blood is circulated. Water and waste products pass through the membrane into this solution while cells and proteins are retained within the blood. The purified blood is then returned to the patient's body through a vein.