Temporary Vas-Cath for Dialysis

Kidney Disease or Renal Failure is the malfunction of the Kidney causing the Kidney to lose its filtering ability. As a result of Kidney disease, Kidney failure or Kidney injury, the Kidney shuts down and waste accumulates in the body and the body’s chemical balance gets disrupted. The body is designed to protect the brain, heart, and lungs and thus, when there is trauma or disease, the body will direct all resources including blood to protect those three organs causing the Kidney to lose support and functionality. Symptoms of Kidney Disease or Renal Failure include fluid retention, fatigue, shortness of breath and decreased urine output.

Temporary Renal Failure can occur and be reversed, allowing the Kidney to return to full functionality. For example, in the case of physical trauma to the body such as in a serious car accident, the body will direct resources to protect other vital organs. The Kidney will start to falter, traditional symptoms will manifest, and blood labs will document the failure. However, as the body stabilizes and heals, the Kidney can as well, sometimes on its own and sometimes with the help of temporary dialysis to perform the function of the Kidney while the Kidney is recovering. Vas Cath Placement can be an effective, efficient and less intrusive procedure than more permanent options such as AV Fistula and AV Graft to enable dialysis.

Vas Cath Placement at the Bedside is performed by Shoals Kidney Center, and can be advantageous. While Vas Cath Lines can be placed in the interventional radiology department by hospital clinicians, placement of these Lines at the Bedside by Vascular Access Clinicians can prove valuable. Vas Cath insertion and placement at the bedside can be beneficial for many of the same reasons other Central Venous Lines at the bedside can be preferable including more effective infection control, decreased transportation time and expense, easier coordination of treatment, less patient disruption, decreased length of stay for the patient, and improved efficiency and use of resources such as facilities, equipment, supplies and medical specialists. Since Vas Cath Lines serve the important purpose of the Kidney function, speed is critical especially in the case of suspected Temporary Renal Failure where Kidney preservation and restoration is feasible and desirable. Vascular Access clinicians who can provide Vas Cath placement at the bedside and then read a confirmation X-Ray to confirm tip placement, can clear the Vas Cath Line for usage often much quicker than other options. Contrast Dye Neuropathy (CIN) rates are high in the renal population and using the bedside dye-free approach and ultrasound eliminates this risk. Vas Cath or Temporary Dialysis Catheters at the Bedside serve the important purpose of providing immediate care without disrupting future care options enabling the patient’s care plan to be carefully developed.

Dialysis Catheter Infection Prevention and Control is incredibly important because veins are limited and non-renewable resources and treating infections can result in additional vein usage. Shoals Kidney Center approach of placing Large Bore Catheters anatomically lower and near the clavicle, makes care and maintenance of the line much easier than when the Catheter is placed high on the neck. Further, Shoals Kidney Center has proven success with Statlock Stabilization, a sutureless approach, which further mitigates risk of a Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI). Finally, the Vas Cath can be clinically appropriate therapy when a Permanent Dialysis Catheter becomes infected and must be removed. Since the patient still requires dialysis, the Vas Cath can enable such treatment until the infection is cleared at which point a replacement Permanent Dialysis Catheter can be provided and the Vas Cath is removed. This approach protects the replacement Permanent Dialysis Catheter from acquiring the same infection and then having to be removed as well. Inserting and removing Permanent Dialysis Catheters decreases a patient’s expected life span as veins and arteries get consumed and are no longer available for later use.