patients suffering from acute renal failure must be diagnosed and treated quickly so that a physician can confidently prescribe either peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis . in one way of quickly treating the patients , software is used to calculate a suitable peritoneal dialysis prescription without regard to how short or how long a dialysis cycle is used , and without regard to a total dialysate fluid volume for a therapy . for patients with suitable peritoneal membrane transport properties , the software program suggests that , at least over a short period of time , unexpectedly high ultrafiltrate volumes and high clearances may be achieved .