A diagnosis of kidney failure turns everything upside down. Routine activities are substituted with medical treatment, each of which requires special attention. Hemodialysis is a form of treatment used to maintain the lives of patients suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and chronic kidney disease.
In advanced stages of the disease, every session of the treatment procedure is critical for the patient’s survival. However, despite the benefits, there can be risks, such as infections, blood clots, and frequent hospital visits. Nevertheless, the success and efficiency of this kind of treatment depend on vascular access.
When speaking about the best choice, arteriovenous fistula (AV) can be regarded as the gold standard because of its effectiveness and minimal level of complications. It connects a vein and an artery and promotes the improvement of blood flow and the reduction of risks.
This is why it becomes a necessary part of long-term kidney treatment. This article will explain the role of AV fistulas in terms of reducing the risks related to hemodialysis and improving patients’ overall health.
What is an AV Fistula?
An AV fistula is basically the formation of an artificial bridge between an artery and a vein. Since these two blood vessels are directly connected, blood will be delivered to the vein at a higher rate of pressure and flow.
As a result, the vein would expand in size, and its walls would become stronger that can withstand multiple punctures necessary for dialysis treatment. The AV fistula does not employ the use of catheters or grafts; it uses the patient’s own blood vessels.
Importance Of Vascular Access In Hemodialysis
Hemodialysis refers to the medical treatment in which a dialysis machine filters out waste products, excess fluid, and toxic substances from the blood. The purpose is to compensate for the ineffective functioning of the kidneys in carrying out these vital tasks.
Hemodialysis is only effective with a reliable vascular access that would enable adequate circulation of blood into the machine and out of it. This access allows for higher flow rates.
It is an important aspect in ensuring that dialysis is successful; otherwise, there may be complications such as failure to get enough dialysis, hospitalizations, infection, and even death. There are three main types of vascular access, including the following:
- AV fistula
- Arteriovenous graft (AVG)
- Central venous catheter (CVC)
The best option among the three is the AV fistula because it offers excellent outcomes with the least possibility of complications.
Hemodialysis Risks That An AV Fistula can Reduce
The following demonstration can help understand the role of Av fistula in reducing the risks associated with hemodialysis.
Lower Risk Of Infection
One of the main benefits of having an AV fistula is the reduced chances of infection. The central venous catheter, which involves the insertion of a foreign object into the vein, allows an easy passage for bacteria into the body. This makes patients more prone to infections, including sepsis, in the bloodstream.
An AV fistula involves the creation of an opening under the skin without allowing any foreign object to enter. In consequence, the chances of infections reduce because bacteria cannot access such an area. Thus, the patient’s safety level rises.
Least Chance Of Blood Clot Formation
Blood clotting or thrombosis is also a major complication that dialysis patients often face. The blood clots will lead to the blocking of blood, resulting in dialysis access malfunction and further interventions. Clotting is likely in patients who have a catheter or graft as dialysis access because of the synthetic nature of the material.
On the other hand, the probability of developing clots is smaller in patients who have an AV fistula as dialysis access. The primary reason is that the use of blood vessels makes the development of clots rare due to the high flow of blood.
Improves The Efficiency of Dialysis
Hemodialysis success largely depends on ensuring sufficient circulation of blood in the dialysis machine. The AV fistula provides more effective circulation compared to other forms of vascular access. Increased circulation increases the efficiency in the removal of excess waste products and substances from the body.
This increase in dialysis efficiency results in better maintenance of biochemical balance in the body, decreased symptoms of kidney disease, and improved quality of life. Patients who have AV fistulas are more successful in meeting treatment goals and avoiding complications caused by insufficient dialysis.
Minimize Hospitalization Rates
Hospitalizations caused by complications associated with vascular access are amongst the common reasons for admission in dialysis patients. Occurrence of issues such as infection, blood clotting, failure of the access, and complications related to the catheter are high on the list. Hospitalization rates in patients with AV fistulas are lower. The benefits of lower hospitalization include better health, decreased costs, and continuity of treatment.
Longer Access To Survival
Longevity is yet another advantage of AV fistulas over other forms of access. In comparison to both grafts and catheters, an AV fistula tends to have a far longer life. Several AV fistulas could be functional for many years.
This is because of the longer lifetime of an AV fistula, which ensures that there will be fewer instances of surgery, visits to hospitals, and even replacement of vascular access sites.
Lower Mortality Rate
Numerous studies have shown that AV fistulas have a lower mortality rate than the use of catheters. The benefits associated with the lower mortality rate due to AV fistulas include decreased infection risk, fewer cardiovascular complications, and better delivery of dialysis.
The lower incidence of potentially fatal infections, as well as other problems associated with access, contributes to greater longevity. Thus, it is universally accepted by renal specialists that the role of an AV fistula in successful hemodialysis is noteworthy.
Conclusion
Finally, the role of AV fistula is vital in decreasing the risks that hemodialysis presents to patients. The advantages of this approach include increased safety through reduced infection, thrombosis, and even mortality. Moreover, it is an effective way of improving the results of this procedure, especially because of its durability and efficiency.
This approach also improves the quality of life of such patients, making it their best option. Hence, the encouragement of patients towards adopting the use of arteriovenous fistulas ensures improved health outcomes, minimized complications, and a better quality of life during dialysis.
