Is a Catheter Required for Dialysis?

Whether a catheter is required for dialysis depends on the type of dialysis therapy received. If the patient undergoes peritoneal dialysis, a catheter is required. However, if the patient receives hemodialysis, both catheters and other vascular access types are available.

Fact

• Regardless of the type of dialysis procedure, access to the patient's blood or peritoneal cavity is required.

Hemodialysis

• Catheters, AV fistulas and AV grafts are the three types of blood accesses available for hemodialysis. Hemodialysis catheters are ports that provide direct access to the patient's bloodstream. Graphs and fistulas are permanently placed under the skin. Fistulas are constructed from existing veins and arteries, while grafts are made with synthetic material.

Peritoneal Dialysis

• A catheter is the only option for peritoneal dialysis. The catheter is placed in the abdomen and has a tube through which the dialysis solution is infused into the peritoneal cavity.

Complications

• Infection is the most common complication of dialysis catheters. If the infection is severe enough, the catheter must be replaced. AV grafts and AV fistulas have far fewer complications and offer better treatment efficiency than catheters in hemodialysis.

Considerations

• Having a dialysis catheter requires special preventative measures to avoid infection. For this reason, as well as other advantages, the AV fistula is the preferred access type for hemodialysis.