What is the purpose of dialysis?

The purpose of dialysis is to remove toxins and excess fluid from the body, particularly when the kidneys are unable to perform this function due to disease or failure. Dialysis acts as an artificial method of clearing waste products from the blood, balancing electrolytes, and helping to control blood pressure. This is crucial for individuals who have chronic kidney disease or acute kidney injury, where their kidneys are not able to effectively filter waste and maintain fluid balance.

In contrast, stimulating kidney function, directly repairing kidney tissue, or enhancing the kidney filtration rate are not the primary roles of dialysis. Dialysis does not restore or improve kidney function; instead, it temporarily substitutes for the filtering functions of healthy kidneys until they can recover or until a more permanent solution, such as a kidney transplant, can be arranged.