Peritoneal dialysis for the treatment or end-stage renal failure.

Peritoneal dialysis was the first method used to assist failing kidneys. The consensus in the 1960s was that peritoneal dialysis was of limited usefulness as compared to chronic hemodialysis for the treatment of end-stage renal failure. In the late 1970s, however, peritoneal dialysis emerged as a valuable means of achieving continuous steady-state dialysis. Numerous technical advances have allowed to improve results, and peritoneal dialysis is now a valid alternative to hemodialysis. The two techniques are complementary. However, peritoneal dialysis is a medium-term solution, and hemodialysis remains the only possibility for long-term treatments. Peritoneal dialysis is especially valuable in patients who prefer to be treated at home, in particular while waiting for a kidney transplant.