ABSTRACT
Before the advent of hemodialysis, gastrointestinal (GI) involvement was a common complication of uremia. Despite the universal application of hemodialysis, GI problems are still frequent in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This verifies the role of the kidney beyond that of only a metabolic filter. Some GI complications are inherent to renal disease and others to hemodialysis. This chapter will focus on those GI issues that will be most frequently encountered by the nephrologists and primary care physicians managing dialysis patients (Table 1).
