In peritoneal dialysis, dwell time refers to the duration the dialysis fluid remains in which area?

• A. The Abdomen
• B. The Chest
• C. The Vascular Access
• D. The Dialyzer

Answer: (A)

Dwell time is the period the dialysis solution stays inside the peritoneal cavity, which is the abdomen, after it’s infused. During this time, wastes and excess fluid diffuse across the peritoneal membrane into the dialysate. After the dwell, the fluid is drained. The other locations don’t apply to peritoneal dialysis: the chest isn’t the exchange space, and the vascular access and dialyzer are parts of hemodialysis, not PD.