Device Background
Peritoneal Dialysis is a treatment used by thousands of people across the world in order to treat diseases related to kidney failure. The process involves using the peritoneum of the patient as a membrane through which fluids are exchanged via a catheter. The waste products are then collected in a bag and currently, the patient has to use their own judgement by assessing the opaqueness and color of the bag to determine if the risk of serious infection has increased and to seek medical help from their specialist.
Currently, there are two types of peritoneal dialysis available, CAPD and APD. Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is a form of dialysis where the user attaches the dialysate bag to their abdomen in order to complete exchanges. Exchanges consist of the delivery of dialysate to the abdomen, whose goal is to filter waste and other chemicals out of the abdomen. An image of the process of CAPD is shown below where the dialysate bag is attached to the abdomen as well as a waste bag which collects any harmful products gathered in this region.
Autonomous peritoneal dialysis (APD) is very similar to CAPD, the major difference being that in APD, the user typically conducts exchanges while they are sleeping and utilizes a machine to perform the same procedure as the dialysate and waste bags in CAPD. A depiction of how APD treatment is carried out is shown below as a reference.
