Dialysis Procedures

Dialysis Procedures

Fistulograms are useful procedures for doctors treating patients with kidney disease.  A dialysis fistulogram offers a detailed view of the patient’s access for dialysis, which may be a shunt or a fistula.  Using a fistulogram, an interventional radiologist will be able to detect the location of narrowing or blockage.  These can be treated with balloon dilation or stenting to improve flow.

Interventional radiologists also place hemodialysis catheters for kidney disease patients.  A hemodialysis catheter provides direct access to the blood stream which is critical to dialysis treatment for patients whose kidneys have failed.  As the body offers few access points for a hemodialysis catheter, an interventional radiologist’s training in this area is often vital.