Why Do So Many Patients Have a Dialysis Catheter and Not Arteriovenous Fistulae or Grafts?

Abstract

The Dialysis Outcome and Quality Initiative has guidelines for vascular access and states that the dialysis catheter (DC) should be limited to less than 20% of the end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Our center has found this target difficult to achieve.Objective: We wondered what the reasons for use of a DC might be.Methods: We noted the number of patients with a DC in place and assessed the reasons why the DC was being used on 8/1/03.Results: 73 of the 170 (42.9%) patients had a DC on 8/1/03. 24 (32.9%) of the patients refused to have initial arteriovenous fistulae or grafts (AVF/G) or a secondary AVF/G revision or replacement procedure performed after initial AVF/G failure. 15 (20.5%) patients had a maturing AVF/G, 12 (16.4%) had significant medical and/or surgical contraindications for AVF/G placement, 9 (12.3%) patients were awaiting surgical thrombectomy, revision or placement of AVF/G, 6 patients (8.2%) were awaiting transfer to CPD therapy, 4 (5.5%) patients were undecided about having an AVF/G placed, and 1 (1.4%) had acute renal failure and early ESRD recovery was expected. Only 2 (2.7%) patients had no access plan by the nephrology team.Conclusions: Patients' refusal for an AVF/G placement and patients with a maturing AVF/G or awaiting surgical revision or placement were the most common reasons for the use of a DC in our center. To significantly impact on the high use of the DC, it would be crucial to better understand the reasons for patients’ refusals.