| | Benefits | Downsides |
| Kidney transplant | - People who get a kidney transplant usually live longer and have a better quality of life than people who are treated with dialysis
| - A kidney transplant is major surgery
- It can be hard to find a donor kidney
- People with certain medical conditions can't have a kidney transplant
- After surgery, you need to take medicines every day for the rest of your life. These medicines could cause you to get severe infections or cancer.
- After surgery, your body might "reject" your new kidney
|
| Peritoneal dialysis | - You can do it at home, which gives you more freedom and control over your life
- It doesn't involve needles
- You can do it overnight while you sleep
- You don't need anyone to help you if you learn how to do it yourself
- You don't need to limit your diet as much as with hemodialysis
| - It can be hard to learn how to do it
- It increases the chance that you will get an infection in your belly
|
| Hemodialysis | - You might have the option of doing it at home, which gives you more freedom and control over your life
- If you have it in a dialysis center, you don't have to learn to do it yourself, and doctors and nurses can watch you more closely
- You do it fewer days each week than peritoneal dialysis
| - If you do it at home, you will need to get special training and equipment, and have someone to help you
- If you have it in a center, you will need to travel there and back at least 3 times a week
- You will have needles put in your arm each time
- Your access can get infected or stop working
- During dialysis, you might feel lightheaded or have trouble breathing
|
