Rockland Thoracic & Vascular Associates

Thoracic Surgery & Vascular Surgery located in Pomona, NY & Goshen, NY

More than 500,000 people in the United States receive hemodialysis, a treatment that removes waste and fluid from your blood when your kidneys no longer function. When on hemodialysis, your blood flows out of and back into your body through a dialysis access port. The vascular surgical team at Rockland Thoracic & Vascular Associates offers dialysis access creation and management. The practice has offices in Washington Heights, Manhattan, in New York City; Pomona, Goshen, and Fishkill, New York; and Englewood, New Jersey. To schedule an evaluation, contact the office nearest you by phone or book online today.

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Dialysis Access Q & A

Why would I need dialysis access?

If you have chronic kidney disease and you’re not getting a kidney transplant in the very near future, then you need dialysis access. Your kidneys remove waste and water from your blood to create urine. 

If your kidneys are unable to do this, waste and fluids build up in your body, which is toxic and deadly.

What is dialysis access?

Dialysis access refers to the port that allows your blood to flow from your body to the hemodialysis machine to remove waste and fluid. The hemodialysis machine then returns your cleaned blood through your dialysis access back to your body.

Your dialysis access options include:

AV fistula

An AV fistula is a dialysis access point that joins an artery and vein in your arm. For the procedure, a portion of a vein from your leg is taken out and sewn into an artery in your arm.

AV graft

If your arteries or veins are too small for dialysis access, the team at Rockland Thoracic & Vascular Associates can do an AV graft. During this procedure, a prosthetic graft is placed in between an artery and vein in your arm or leg.

Catheter

Catheters are usually temporary dialysis access ports placed in your neck.

What can I expect during dialysis access creation?

The vascular team at Rockland Thoracic & Vascular Associates specializes in dialysis access and treat to maximizing your use of the dialysis access to minimize the effect of dialysis on your life.

To ensure you get the best possible care, the team at Rockland Thoracic & Vascular Associates schedules your dialysis access placement in a timely manner to reduce your need for a temporary catheter.

What can I expect during dialysis access management?

The team at Rockland Thoracic & Vascular Associates also offers state-of-the-art dialysis access maintenance. The team schedules regular follow-ups so they can detect and treat any dialysis access-related problems.

To repair dialysis access problems, the team could use minimally invasive techniques like thrombolysis or balloon angioplasty and stenting. 

All dialysis access management treatments are done at the well-equipped outpatient access center and you go home after your procedures so there’s isn’t a need for hospital admission.

To learn more about dialysis access at Rockland Thoracic & Vascular Associates, contact the office today by phone or online.