Peritoneal Dialysis in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is peritoneal dialysis?
Peritoneal dialysis, often shortened to PD, cleans the blood from inside your own body. The peritoneum is a thin membrane lining the abdomen, rich in tiny blood vessels. A soft tube called a PD catheter is placed through the wall of the abdomen, and a sterile dialysis fluid is run in through it. The fluid contains a type of sugar, and that sugar draws excess water out of the blood across the membrane, while waste products pass into the fluid at the same time. After a set dwell time, the used fluid is drained out and replaced with fresh fluid. Each drain-and-refill cycle is called an exchange.
There are two ways of doing it:
- Manual exchanges (CAPD): you connect a bag of fresh fluid by hand several times through the day. Between exchanges you are free to move around, work and go out, with the fluid sitting quietly inside.
- Machine exchanges overnight (APD): a compact machine called a cycler runs the exchanges automatically while you sleep, leaving most of the day free.
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, the nephrologist assesses whether PD suits you, plans the start, and follows you with regular clinic reviews and blood tests once you are established.
Who needs it
PD is one option for people whose chronic kidney disease has reached stage 5, or kidney failure, where the kidneys can clear too little waste and water on their own. It suits people who value independence, want to keep working or studying, live some distance from a dialysis centre, or prefer treatment at home with family support.
The choice sits alongside other paths. Haemodialysis filters the blood through a machine at a dialysis centre the nephrologist arranges. Kidney transplantation is discussed where suitable and assessed at a transplant centre by referral. Conservative care, focused on comfort and symptom control, is right for some people. Your nephrologist weighs your heart health, any previous abdominal surgery, your eyesight and hand strength, your home and who can help, and then you decide together. Pre-dialysis education gives you time to compare the options well before a start date.
What happens
The first step is placing the PD catheter. This is a minor operation carried out by a surgeon, which the nephrologist arranges through referral. The catheter exit site on the skin is then left to heal before regular use, over a period your team sets.
Next comes training. A PD training programme, arranged by referral, teaches you or a family member each step: washing hands and setting up a clean area, checking bags, connecting and disconnecting, recognising the look of normal fluid, caring for the exit site, and keeping a daily record of your weight, blood pressure and fluid drained. Most people become confident with practice, and a trained nurse from the programme is usually available for questions.
Once you are doing PD at home, the nephrologist reviews your blood tests, fluid balance, blood pressure and wellbeing, and adjusts the fluid strengths or the pattern of exchanges as your needs change. Medicines for blood pressure, anaemia and bone health are reviewed by purpose at each visit.
Preparing for it
Home space matters. You need a clean, well-lit area for exchanges, room for a cycler beside the bed if you choose overnight PD, and dry indoor storage for boxes of fluid, which arrive in regular deliveries. In the UAE, keep supplies indoors in an air-conditioned room, out of direct sun, away from balconies and car boots, because summer heat can damage the fluid and packaging.
Before catheter placement, bring a list of all your medicines, including herbal remedies and protein or gym supplements, and any previous surgery records. Ask your insurer early about pre-approval for PD supplies and home delivery.
Afterwards
Life on PD settles into a routine. Hygiene is the heart of it: wash your hands thoroughly before every exchange, wear a mask if your programme advises it, keep pets out of the room during connection, and clean the exit site as you were taught. The nephrologist gives renal diet and fluid advice, with a renal dietitian by referral where needed. Hot weather and sweating change your fluid balance, so agree a summer plan with your team.
Travel is often possible with planning. Fluid can sometimes be delivered to a destination in advance, and a portable cycler may travel with you. If you are thinking about fasting in Ramadan, discuss it with your nephrologist well beforehand.
If your drained fluid looks cloudy, or you have tummy pain or a fever, contact your dialysis team urgently, because these can be signs of peritonitis, an infection of the abdominal lining. Keep the cloudy bag to show them. Contact your team the same day for redness, pus or pain at the exit site, a leak around the catheter, or fluid that will drain in but drains out poorly. If you are severely breathless, have chest pain or collapse, call emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department.
Cost and insurance
Most UAE insurance plans cover peritoneal dialysis for kidney failure, though pre-approval is usually required and supplies may come through specific providers or dialysis centre networks. Catheter placement and training arranged by referral are approved separately. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of peritoneal dialysis?
The main risk of peritoneal dialysis is peritonitis, an infection of the abdominal lining that shows as cloudy fluid, tummy pain or fever and needs urgent treatment. Other risks include exit-site infection, catheter blockage or leaks, hernias, weight gain from the sugar in the fluid, and gradual changes in the membrane over time that may mean switching to haemodialysis.
Can I do peritoneal dialysis while working?
Many people on peritoneal dialysis keep working, especially with overnight machine exchanges, which leave most of the day free. Manual exchanges can often be done in a clean private room at work, and your nephrologist helps you choose the pattern that fits your job.
Does peritoneal dialysis hurt?
Peritoneal dialysis exchanges are usually painless, though some people feel fullness or mild pressure while fluid is inside. Pain during filling or draining, or new tummy pain, should be reported to your dialysis team.
Who puts in the peritoneal dialysis catheter?
The peritoneal dialysis catheter is placed by a surgeon in a minor operation that your nephrologist arranges by referral. Your nephrologist then plans when the catheter can be used once the exit site has healed.
Where do I learn to do peritoneal dialysis at home?
Training for peritoneal dialysis is given by a dedicated PD training programme that your nephrologist arranges by referral. You or a family member learn each step with a nurse until you feel confident doing exchanges alone.
How do I store dialysis fluid in the UAE heat?
Store dialysis fluid indoors in a cool, dry, air-conditioned room, away from direct sunlight, balconies and cars. Heat can damage the fluid and packaging, so check each bag before use and ask your supplier about delivery timing in summer.
Can I travel on peritoneal dialysis?
Travel on peritoneal dialysis is often possible with advance planning, because supplies can sometimes be delivered to your destination and portable cyclers are available. Speak to your nephrologist and supplier well before you book.
Is peritoneal dialysis covered by insurance in the UAE?
Most UAE insurance plans cover peritoneal dialysis for kidney failure, usually with pre-approval and sometimes through specific supply providers or dialysis centre networks. Confirm your cover with Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777.
Departments
Book an appointment
Tell us your preferred day and time. Our team calls you back to confirm.