Dialysis Access
Fistula and graft creation, plus the maintenance that keeps your access working for dialysis.
Hemodialysis needs a reliable, high flow connection to your bloodstream. That is usually a fistula, made by joining an artery to a vein in your arm, or a graft, which uses a soft tube to make the same connection when your own vein is not suitable.
Before creating an access we map the arteries and veins in both arms with ultrasound to find the best site. For an access already in place, we measure flow and look for narrowing that could cause it to fail.
Dr. Caruso creates fistulas and grafts and also maintains them over the long term. That includes opening narrowed segments, treating clots, and revising an access that is not maturing or is not delivering adequate flow for dialysis.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
The things patients ask us most about dialysis access, answered plainly.
A fistula needs time to mature, often a couple of months, which is why placing one before you need dialysis is better than waiting until you do.
Fistulas generally last longer and carry a lower infection risk. That said, your own anatomy determines what is possible, and sometimes a graft is the right answer.
Often yes. Many failing accesses can be salvaged by treating a narrowed segment or a clot instead of creating a new one somewhere else.
Yes. Access care goes better when the surgeon, the nephrologist, and the dialysis unit are all in the loop, so we send our findings along.
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