hemodialyzer) filters the blood of waste by pumping it through a semipermeable membrane.
The cleansed blood is then returned to the patient’s body. A dialysis machine is shown in
Figure19.18.
Figure 19.18: During hemodialysis, a patient’s blood is sent through a filter that removes
waste products and the clean blood is returned to the body. ( 3 )
Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Urinary tract infections are bacterial infections of any part of the urinary tract. When
bacteria get into the bladder or kidney and multiply in the urine, they cause a UTI. The
most common type of UTI is a bladder infection. Women get UTIs more often than men.
UTIs are often treated with antibiotics.
Lesson Summary
- The excretory system controls the chemical make-up of body fluids. The organs of the
excretory system remove metabolic wastes. They also maintain the proper concentra-
tions of water, salts, and nutrients in the body.