What type of dialysis access procedure is necessary for hemodialysis?
Hemodialysis circulates blood through a machine outside of your body to remove toxins and excess fluid and to correct electrolytes like potassium, sodium, phosphate and calcium, to name a few. The machine then pumps the cleansed blood back into your body. The blood leaves and returns to the body through a catheter, a long piece of silicone tubing placed in the neck, chest or leg. A catheter is used to establish quick vascular (bloodstream) access if you need to begin dialysis therapy immediately. Or dialysis access nurses can access the bloodstream by placing two needles into a fistula or a graft that has been previously created for this purpose.
