What is a central venous haemodialysis catheter?
This is a narrow tube that is inserted into one of the veins near the heart and held securely by a cuff under the skin. The tube is usually made up of two narrow tubes joined together, so that blood can be taken out and returned to the body using the same tube. A central venous haemodialysis catheter can be used to access the blood system immediately after it is inserted so this may be the first access method your child needs. It may also be used as a temporary option while a fistula is forming. Your child will need to have an operation to insert the catheter. This is carried out under very heavy sedation in older children or general anaesthetic in younger ones and generally takes around one to two hours.
