Does an otherwise healthy person with just one kidney need dialysis? Why or why not?

Answer 1

No. To understand why an otherwise healthy person with only one kidney would not need dialysis, you need to understand the function of the kidneys. The kidneys are responsible for filtering blood and removing excess nutrients and waste products. Waste products include urea, creatinine, ammonia, uric acid, and ions such as potassium, hydrogen, sodium, and calcium. The filtration of excess amounts of these ions is crucial to maintaining safe chemical reactions in the body. Too much sodium and potassium can affect the nervous system and too much calcium can affect the cardiovascular system. The kidneys also are a key player in balancing blood pressure as they filter water and salt based on water and salt levels in the blood. Dialysis is a process that filters blood once you have lost 80-95 percent of normal kidney function. Losing one kidney would not cut blood filtration significantly enough to be harmful. Although, I will say, a person with one kidney should probably be cautious when taking NSAIDS and consuming alcohol.