Hemodialysis Access
When the kidneys are not working well enough to filter the blood normally, dialysis might be needed to maintain health. One form of dialysis is called hemodialysis, which involves using needles to draw blood away from the body to a dialysis machine that washes the blood before returning the blood back to the body.
A hemodialysis (HD) access is needed for the needles to be inserted into the bloodstream. This usually involves surgically connecting an artery directly to a nearby vein in the arm. Sometimes, it is best to use a prosthetic tube, or graft, that can be surgically attached at one end to an artery and at the other end to a vein. A permanent catheter is not the best access site for hemodialysis because it carries the risk of causing a catheter-related bloodstream infection, which can be fatal, as long as the catheter remains in place.
Hemodialysis (HD) management
Dr. HIll specializes in providing the best type of HD access for each individual patient in need of dialysis. We also work hard to help maintain a working HD access by doing catheter-based, “touch-up” procedures to treat any areas of concern that, if left untreated, could cause the HD access to fail. Our focus is always on the best possible quality-of-life for our patients. We will do whatever it takes to help our patients manage their HD access as they live with dialysis as their “new normal” routine.
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