Skip to content

Menu

trigger trigger
  • Arterio-venous fistula (AV fistula)
  • Arterio-venous graft (AV graft)
  • Central venous catheter (CVC)
An AV fistula is usually first created by a surgical procedure in the non-dominant. The connection betweentheartery and thevein ensures that a higher blood flow in the vein is obtained. Due to this, the vein expands, making regular cannulation easier. This is the preferred access for hemodialysis, due to a lower complication rate and better clinical results. The fistula usually takes six to eight weeks to mature before it is ready for cannulation.

If there is any difficulty in creating an AV fistula, an artificial AV graft can be an alternative. This requires connecting the artery and the vein by a synthetic tube implanted under the skin in the arm. In comparison to the AV fistula, it can be already cannulated after two to three weeks; however, complications from blood clotting or infections may occur more often. Nevertheless, grafts can last for several years if they are well looked after.

Any further questions regarding your preparation for dialysis?