Do You Think Your AV Fistula Is Healthy? Here is something you need to know about your AV Fistula.

Arteriovenous Fistula (AV Fistula) is known as the lifeline for dialysis patients. AV Fistula is nothing but a connection between an arterial blood line and a venous blood line inside your body. Creating an AV fistula is a minor surgical procedure where a vascular surgeon will connect an artery and a vein together with relatively small incision of about 1 – 1 ½ inch usually in the forearm or upper arm.

The main function of AV Fistula is to be able to provide enough blood flow In order to deliver adequate hemodialysis.

To keep your AV Fistula healthy it should always be monitored for;

•    Presence or absence of thrill and bruit. Thrill; the vibrations you feel when you place your finger on AV fistula. Bruit; the sound you will hear from a stethoscope when it is gently placed over AV fistula.

•    Location and depth of developing/developed vein.

•    The direction of blood flow in the AV fistula. The direction of blood flow in AV fistula can be known by gentle compression by your finger at the midpoint of AV fistula. When the fistula is compressed, the arterial side pulsates and thrill can be felt whereas on the venous side little or no pulses can be felt.

•    The condition of previous cannulation sites and Needle insertion in newly placed AV fistula.

•    Presence of swelling or edema on or near the fistula.

•    Signs and symptoms of infection such as temperature, redness, pain, swelling, drainage etc.

•    Bleeding from the fistula site and bruising above the fistula.

•    Presence or absence of Aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms. An aneurysm and pseudoaneurysm are swelling over the fistula and/or needle insertion site due to thinning of the vessel wall.

•    Skin erosion over AV fistula.

•    Stenosis; narrowing of the blood vessel which causes damage to the AV fistula.

•    Numbness in the extremity of fistula hand.

All these inspections of AV fistula should be performed each dialysis, before starting the dialysis, during dialysis and after finishing the dialysis session by the patient himself as well as Dialysis therapist/physician present in the unit.

Do consult your nephrologist/vascular surgeon if any misbehavior found in AV fistula or fistula arm and share this with your fellow dialysis friends and patients. If you want more healthy stuff related to kidney disease and dialysis click here.

Thank you; hope you have a good day.

Here one more tip;

DRINK LESS WATER, EAT LESS POTASSIUM.