What percentage of normal kidney function is replaced by dialysis?

Dialysis is a treatment that substitutes some specific functions of healthy kidneys, particularly in patients with end-stage renal disease. The typical percentage of normal kidney function that dialysis can effectively replace is about 15% to 20%. This range reflects the ability of dialysis to perform certain filtration and removal functions for waste products and excess fluids, similar to what healthy kidneys accomplish.

When kidney function drops below a certain level, specifically to around 15% of normal function, dialysis becomes a crucial intervention because the kidneys can no longer maintain homeostasis or remove waste effectively. At this stage, people often require dialysis to survive, as it helps manage the toxic buildup of waste products in the body.

While dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment, it does not fully replicate all the complex physiological processes provided by healthy kidneys, leading to the understanding that it accounts for a portion rather than complete function. This is why 15% is recognized as the appropriate figure for the percentage of normal kidney function that dialysis provides, making it the correct answer in this context.