Vascular Access for Kidney Dialysis
Vascular surgeons at Henry Ford Health support people with kidney disease who need vascular access for dialysis. We perform open and minimally invasive procedures for several types of access, helping you receive the treatment you need to stay healthy.
What is a vascular access?
Vascular access is a place on your body where a technician places needles for dialysis. The blood travels back and forth to a special machine (dialyzer) for filtering. This ongoing treatment takes over kidney function in people with severe kidney disease.
Unfortunately, normal veins can’t handle the repeated needle insertions and high blood flow (about a pint a minute) that dialysis requires. A vascular surgeon creates dialysis access using a vein and an artery. This vascular access needs to be in place weeks to months before dialysis begins.
-
Why do people need dialysis?
-
Vascular access for kidney dialysis at Henry Ford
-
First-time vascular access for kidney dialysis
-
Repairs for existing vascular access
-
Catheter placement for plasmapheresis