Dialysis Access Center

About Us

The Transplant Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess has established a Dialysis Access Center to provide prompt, state-of-the-art care to patients who need to have a dialysis access created or repaired before undergoing or continuing hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.

There are several ways to establish dialysis access. The patient's nephrologist (kidney doctor) and surgeon decide which type of access will provide the best long-term dialysis function for each individual.

Transplant surgeons at Beth Israel Deaconess specialize in all types of dialysis access surgery, including:

• placement of arteriovenous (AV) fistulae and grafts, types of vascular access for hemodialysis that involve connecting arteries to veins, sometimes with foreign (prosthetic) graft material
• placement of tunneled central venous dialysis catheters (permanent catheters that are tunneled under the skin to enter the venous system for hemodialysis)
• catheter placement (tunneling a long silicone tube into the abdomen) for peritoneal dialysis

In addition to access services for patients new to dialysis, transplant surgeons also are available for immediate repair for patients who experience urgent problems such as blood clots, infection or pseudoaneurysms (a bulge in a graft wall).

Priority Care at BIDMC

A dialysis access nurse coordinator works closely with local and regional community-based dialysis centers to facilitate:

• patient referrals
• same day or next-day service for access-related complications and a two-week or earlier timeframe to establish permanent vascular access
• as necessary, immediate access for patients who need surgical attention or follow-up care for dialysis access issues

Clinical excellence, adherence to National Kidney Foundation standards, easy and quick access, timely patient care and immediate physician feedback distinguish the Center's service.