A type of dialysis where blood is removed from the body, filtered through an artificial kidney machine, and returned cleaned to the patient. It's typically performed 3 times per week for 3-4 hours per session.
From Greek 'haima' meaning 'blood' combined with 'dialysis' meaning 'separation through a membrane.' The technique was developed in the 1940s by Dutch physician Willem Kolff during World War II.
Hemodialysis patients become intimately familiar with their 'access'—the special connection between an artery and vein that allows blood to flow fast enough for effective filtering! These patients are essentially cyborgs for 12 hours a week, connected to a machine that keeps them alive, and many describe the post-dialysis feeling as being 'wrung out like a dishrag.'
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