Improving blood flow through artificial vessels used during dialysis

Expert Heart & Vascular Care

Getting the care you need starts with seeing one of our heart or vascular specialists.

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If a fistula or graft to access your blood vessels during dialysis becomes narrow or clogged, it can prevent you from receiving this life-saving treatment.

The surgeons in our Vascular and Endovascular Program work with kidney specialists to keep your dialysis access working effectively.

A minimally invasive catheter procedure will likely be used to reach the access vessel. To improve blood flow, your doctor may recommend:

  • Angioplasty: A catheter is guided to the access vessel, and a small balloon is used to widen a narrow vessel.
  • Thrombolysis: Medication is used to dissolve blood clots blocking blood flow.
  • Stenting: Your doctor may recommend that a stent be placed after the access vessel is cleared to prevent future blockages.

Tests

Fluoroscopy

A fluoroscopy is an imaging technique that uses a continuous X-ray beam passed through the body to create real-time, moving images of your internal structures.