Vascular Access Path
Fistula (ArterioVenöz Fistula)
It is the first natural vein route to be preferred for hemodialysis patients. It is performed by a cardiovascular surgeon with a minor operation. It is a merging procedure applied between the person’s artery and vein with small surgical intervention carried out in hospital conditions. This procedure is preferred to be applied to your forearm or upper arm, which you do not actively use. After the procedure, a waiting period of 4 to 6 weeks is required for your fistula to mature and to allow comfortableneedle insertions. Do not forget that this waiting period is important for the maturation of the vein.Do not measure blood pressure in any way or get your blood drawnfrom the arm with the fistula. Check whether your fistula is working by making a daily control. For your fistula to mature,it is very important that you do the exercises and recommendations, daily check the functioning of the fistula and report the changes to your dialysis center without delay. Do not forget to ask the cardiovascular surgeon opening your fistula for your vascular map showing the needle insertion regions and share this information with your dialysis center. It should also be remembered that this process can be repeated if your vein is not sufficiently developed or blocked.
Graft (Santral VenözKateter)
It is an artificial vascular access route for hemodialysis patients. It is the procedure of subcutaneously inserting an artificial vein under your skin between your arteries and veins with a small surgical intervention by cardiovascular surgeons in hospital conditions. Likewise, it is also very important that you do not measure blood pressure or get your blood drawnfrom your arm/leg where graftwas opened, daily check whether your graft is working and report the changes to your dialysis center without delay. Also, do not forget to ask the cardiovascular surgeon opening your fistula for your vascular map showing the needle insertion regions and share this information with your dialysis center.