ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Dialysis Fistula Malfunction.

The creation and maintenance of a dialysis access is vital for the reduction of morbidity, mortality, and cost of treatment for end stage renal disease patients. One's longevity on dialysis is directly dependent upon the quality of dialysis. This quality hinges on the integrity and reliability of the access to the patient's vascular system.

VasQ U.S. pivotal study demonstrates the safety and effectiveness of an external vascular support for arteriovenous fistula creation.

Objective: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) creation is a commonly performed vascular operation that reports 6-month functional success rates as low as 50%. Recently, a nitinol external vascular support device, VasQ, has shown potential in studies outside the United States (U.S.

Early Intervention for Steal Syndrome in Patients on Hemodialysis.

Dialysis access-associated steal syndrome (DASS) is a serious, challenging complication related to diminished arterial blood flow to the hand. Patients may not be routinely assessed for this diagnosis, resulting in a delayed presentation with severe hand pain, nerve damage, and tissue loss. This pilot project examined the feasibility of implementing an assessment tool to routinely screen patients for steal syndrome.

Hemodialysis Arteriovenous Access Cosmesis Scale (AVACS): A new measure for vascular access.

Rationale And Objective: This study aimed to develop a cosmesis scale to evaluate the cosmetic appearance of hemodialysis (HD) arteriovenous (AV) accesses from the perspective of the patient and clinician, which could be incorporated into clinical trials.

Study Design: Using a modified Delphi process, two AV access cosmesis scale (AVACS) components were developed in a four-round Delphi panel consisting of two surveys and two consensus meetings with two rounds of patient consultation.

Setting And Participants: The Delphi panel consisted of 15 voting members including five interventional or general nephrologists, five vascular surgeons, three interventional radiologists, and two vascular access nurse coordinators.