Introduction

Abstract

Prior to the decade of the 1930’s, the loss of renal function meant certain death—usually within days. In the thirty years that have followed, scientific, clinical and technological advances made possible the development of hemodialysis, thereby offering a new lease on life to those patients who could afford that replacement therapy. More recent medical and engineering developments have led to peritoneal dialysis becoming an alternative to hemodialysis as a replacement therapy for patients suffering from chronic renal failure.