An unusual case of an irretrievable hemodialysis catheter in a patient with end stage renal disease.

Hemodialysis catheters are associated with higher risks of complications compared to arteriovenous fistulas and grafts. Some common complications of dialysis catheters include infection, thrombus formation, central venous stenosis, and mechanical dysfunction. Rarely, catheters can become firmly adhered to a vessel wall.

Incremental Hemodialysis: The University of California Irvine Experience.

Incremental hemodialysis has been examined as a viable hemodialysis regimen for selected end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Preservation of residual kidney function (RKF) has been the driving impetus for this approach given its benefits upon the survival and quality of life of dialysis patients. While clinical practice guidelines recommend an incremental start of dialysis in peritoneal dialysis patients with substantial RKF, there remains little guidance with respect to incremental hemodialysis as an initial renal replacement therapy regimen.

Incremental and infrequent hemodialysis: a new paradigm for both dialysis initiation and conservative management.

Registry or national dialysis data show that a sizeable proportion of contemporary dialysis patients have substantial levels of residual kidney function especially upon transitioning to dialysis therapy. However, among incident hemodialysis patients, the prevailing paradigm has been to initiate "full-dose" triweekly treatment schedules irrespective of native kidney function in most developed countries. Recognizing the benefits of residual kidney function upon the health and survival of dialysis patients, there has been growing interest in incremental hemodialysis, in which dialysis frequency and dose are tailored according to the degree of patients' residual kidney function.