Hemodialysis, or dialysis, is the use of a machine to remove wastes from your blood. You need it if your kidneys are not able to remove wastes on their own. A dialysis access is the place in your arm, or sometimes in your leg, where a doctor creates a blood vessel that carries a large flow of blood.
Your doctor creates an access during a minor surgery. You need to take care of your access to keep it working and to prevent infection.
When you have dialysis, two needles are placed in this blood vessel and are connected to the dialysis machine. Your blood flows out of one needle and into the machine to be cleaned. Then your cleaned blood flows back into your body through the other needle. Sometimes a doctor makes a short-term access through a tube, called a catheter, placed in your neck, upper chest, or groin.
There are a few ways to access the veins for hemodialysis.
There are two permanent access types:
If you need to start dialysis right away, your doctor may place a tube in a vein. It's usually in your neck or chest. This is called a central vascular access device. You can use it while your permanent access heals.
Any type of dialysis access has some risk of failure. So it's important to always protect your access and be alert for signs of clotting or infection.
If your dialysis access fails, it will be repaired or replaced. You and your doctor will choose your next best option for dialysis access. To keep up a regular dialysis schedule, you need a sturdy dialysis access where blood can flow in and out of the body.
A hemodialysis access is a site on your body where dialysis needles can be placed. It's most often made by joining a vein and an artery, usually in an arm. Your blood flows through the needles and into tubes that go to and from a dialysis machine to remove wastes from your blood.
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Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if you have any problems.
A fistula is created by connecting an artery to a vein in your lower arm. A fistula allows repeated access for each dialysis session.
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