Think Fistula First When Addressing Kidney Failure

June 30, 2011, by Donald L. Akers Jr., MD, FACS

When kidney function drops below 10 to 15 percent of normal, which is known as renal or kidney failure, dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant are needed to sustain life.

In hemodialysis, the patient’s blood is passed through an artificial kidney (dialyzer) where it is cleaned of toxins and extra fluids before being returned to the body. A vascular access is needed for the process, and having the best type of access is important in order to achieve optimal results. There are three types of vascular access: catheter, graft and fistula. (more…)

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