Peritoneal dialysis is one of two standard methods to filter waste products from the blood when the kidneys fail to function. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports there are more than 600,000 people in this country with kidney failure and most of them need dialysis. A percentage will qualify for peritoneal dialysis.
Peritoneal dialysis can also warm hypothermic patients whose core body temperature is less than 35 degrees Celsius. Warming solutions used in peritoneal dialysis is a critical part of the process whether removing waste or warming a body.