title: Bedside Ultrasonography for Arteriovenous Fistula Cannulation.
abstract: Difficulty in accessing a new arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is a common technical issue in hemodialysis patients, which often leads to interventional radiology and/or vascular surgery referral. As a consequence, the patient who needs dialysis may require a temporary dialysis catheter with its known potential complications. We present a case where bedside ultrasonography facilitated successful cannulation of a difficult AVF. Ultrasonography (US) training in this procedure may allow early cannulation of new AVFs when the venous diameter is large enough (>0.6 cm) but the fistula is too deep (>0.6 cm). Real-time, US-guided AVF cannulation may also decrease the number of failed venous punctures per hemodialysis (HD) session minimizing vessel wall damage and subsequent potential hematoma and aneurysm formation.
authors.affiliation: Elmhurst Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Elmhurst, New York.
authors.forename: Roshan A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Elmhurst Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Elmhurst, New York.
authors.forename: Aaron S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.affiliation: Elmhurst Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Elmhurst, New York.
authors.forename: Maritza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Elmhurst Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Elmhurst, New York.
authors.forename: Saad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhatti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000067716:Point-of-Care Testing; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional