TS Radio Network: Dialysis Advocates #13

Advances are being made in dialysis which could vastly improve dialysis treatment for patients.  Join us this evening as we discuss alternatives to the current practices and issues surrounding dialysis treatments that could improve the quality of care and life for dialysis patients.

"Abstract – Single-access Flexible Dual-lumen Vascular Access Device

"There are approximately 2 million worldwide, 700,000 US patients suffering from End Stage Renal Disease. The predominant treatment approach (~85% of ESRD patients is hemodialysis (HD) treatment from 3-4 times or more per week (compared to 10-15% use of PD). The current HD best practice uses two needles in two cannulation sites (one for withdrawing blood and one for returning treated blood) on the patient’s vascular access. The “best practice” outcome is often compromised by the following complications or limitations:

• Patient pain, discomfort and bleeding from repeated multiple cannulation and forming pseudo-aneurism from cannulation at the same spot (common when there is limited space for two needles)
• Long treatment times resulting from low blood flow rate between two needles
• Only one adequate cannulation site in the fistula, requiring use of catheters which are more costly and more prone to infection.

This proposal addresses an improvement to current best practice that accomplishes significant patient quality of life and comfort, economic, and medical benefits. While other longer term solutions are under development, this proposed innovation can be quickly adopted to reap these patient, economic, and medical benefits"

Arlene Mullin — advocate, 20 years experience

https://dialysisadvocates.com/committed-advocacy/.