Peripheral vein and fistula blood samples after single-needle dialysis.
It is traditional in renal units to check patients' biochemical parameters pre- and postdialysis. When a single-needle system is used, the blood is obtained through the arterial limb of the Y cannula, thus avoiding an extra venipuncture. The pre-sample is taken immediately after the cannula is inserted and the post-sample is taken after the blood lines have been disconnected and the venous limb clamped. It was the purpose of this investigation to determine whether the post-samples gave an accurate indication of the patient's electrolyte status. Samples taken from the arteriovenous fistula and those taken simultaneously from a peripheral vein in the opposite arm were compared. It is concluded that postdialysis concentrations should be determined from peripheral vein samples only.
D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood; D014680:Veins
D004573:Electrolytes; D014508:Urea