WHAT IS DIALYSIS ACCESS?

Dialysis access is crucial for those whose kidneys have failed and who must undergo regular hemodialysis to survive. Hemodialysis, also called dialysis, is a procedure in which blood is circulated through a machine that cleans it of impurities and regulates fluid and chemical balances. To prepare for long-term dialysis, a surgeon crafts an easy-to-access portal into the bloodstream under the skin. That portal allows blood to be removed and returned speedily and efficiently during the dialysis. Caring properly for this portal is vital for a dialysis patient.

Individuals who suffer from sudden kidney failure begin dialysis using a catheter, a soft, thin, flexible tube that is inserted into a large vein in the neck, the chest, or the leg near the groin. Catheters rarely are a permanent solution, however. They can clog, become dislodged, or cause an infection. Occasionally, because of kinking or clotting, catheters don’t allow for the fast flow of blood needed for effective dialysis. In most cases, a doctor will recommend the creation of a permanent portal under the skin. Creating the portal is minor surgery. But it can take weeks or even months for the portal to be ready for the rigors of dialysis. For some, the catheter will do until then.

Often, the process of kidney failure is slow. In those cases, an access may be prepared in advance of dialysis so that it will be ready when needed.