Hemodialysis in Spanish

What happens during a treatment

At the start of a hemodialysis treatment, a dialysis nurse or technician places two needles into the arm. Each needle is attached to a soft tube connected to the dialysis machine. Inside the filter, waste products from the blood move into the dialysis solution, and the filtered blood returns to the body. A nephrologist, a doctor who specializes in kidney problems, prescribes the dialysis solution.

Where it is done and how long it takes

Most people go to a dialysis center for treatment. At a center there is a fixed time slot, usually three times per week, and each dialysis session lasts about 4 hours. Some dialysis centers offer nighttime treatments, and hemodialysis can also be done at home.

What it means

Hemodialysis is a treatment that filters wastes and water from the blood, as the kidneys did when they were healthy. It is one of the two main types of dialysis, the treatment that replaces the work of the kidneys when they fail. During hemodialysis, blood goes through a filter called a dialyzer, sometimes called an artificial kidney, outside the body; the dialysis machine pumps blood through the filter and returns it to the body. Treatment can take place at a dialysis center or at home. Hemodialysis also helps control blood pressure and balance minerals such as potassium, sodium, and calcium in the blood. It can replace part, but not all, of kidney function, and it is not a cure for kidney failure.

Spanish term: Hemodiálisis
Gender and article: feminine: la hemodiálisis
Pronunciation: eh-moh-DYAH-lee-sees

Hemodiálisis is the term used by MedlinePlus en español and by the Spanish pages of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The Real Academia Española dictionary records it as a feminine noun with a medical label, so it takes la: la hemodiálisis. The dictionary defines it as dialysis done outside the body that removes harmful substances from the blood. MedlinePlus en español presents it as one of two main types of diálisis; the other is diálisis peritoneal, which uses the membrane that lines the abdomen.

Words that appear with it in the Spanish sources: dializador (dialyzer, the filter), which the kidney institute says is also known as riñón artificial; máquina de diálisis (dialysis machine); centro de diálisis (dialysis center); sesión de diálisis (dialysis session); and nefrólogo, a doctor who specializes in kidney problems. The condition being treated is insuficiencia renal (kidney failure), and the same page says hemodialysis is not a cure for it.

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Clinician	Your kidneys are no longer filtering your blood well enough, so we need to talk about hemodialysis.	Sus riñones ya no filtran la sangre lo suficiente, así que tenemos que hablar de la hemodiálisis.
Patient	What happens during a hemodialysis session?	¿Qué pasa durante una sesión de hemodiálisis?
Clinician	The machine pumps your blood through a filter and returns it to your body.	La máquina bombea su sangre a través de un filtro y la devuelve a su cuerpo.
Patient	How many times a week do I have to come to the dialysis center?	¿Cuántas veces por semana tengo que venir al centro de diálisis?
Patient	How long does each session last?	¿Cuánto dura cada sesión?
Patient	Can I have hemodialysis at home?	¿Puedo recibir la hemodiálisis en casa?
Clinician	Have you had muscle cramps or low blood pressure during dialysis?	¿Ha tenido calambres musculares o presión arterial baja durante la diálisis?
Patient	How much liquid can I drink between one treatment and the next?	¿Cuánto líquido puedo beber entre un tratamiento y el siguiente?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Hemodialysis
Spanish (Español)	Hemodiálisis
Chinese (中文)	血液透析
Korean (한국어)	혈액투석
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Thận nhân tạo
Filipino (Tagalog)	Hemodialysis
Portuguese (Português)	Hemodiálise
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	การฟอกเลือดด้วยเครื่องไตเทียม
Japanese (日本語)	血液透析

Where you'll see it

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Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Kidneys and urinary system

All terms in this area: Kidneys and urinary system — Riñones y vías urinarias

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.