Louellen has to weigh the benefits of hemodialysis versus peritoneal dialysis. Which factor is rela

The fact that her urinary output is low and her kidneys are failing suggests she needs to get started.

Dialysis refers to exchanges of solutes across a semipermeable membrane between two solutions.

With hemodialysis, a dialysis machine is connected to a patient 's blood vessel. The machine pumps a patient's blood through semipermeable tubes submerged in a warm solution of salts, glucose, and other substances. As the blood flows through the tubes, wastes dissolved in the blood diffuse out and solute concentrations return to normal levels. The blood is returned to the patient's body.

In peritoneal dialysis, the patient's peritoneal lining serves as the dialysis membrane. Each night, the patient pumps dialysis solution into his or her abdominal cavity. Wastes diffuse across the peritoneal lining into the fluid, which is drained out the next morning.

Therefore, in hemodialysis, the permeable membrane is artificial and external from the body while in peritoneal dialysis, the permeable membrane is the patient's own peritoneal lining so filtration occurs within the body.