Veins borderline for fistula

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sporti
Posts: 355
Joined: Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:51 pm

Veins borderline for fistula

Post by sporti »

Hi all - Had my mapping done yesterday and the vascular surgeon said my veins are very small borderline acceptance for fistula. They would do it but could take a year to heal and couldn't say whether it would ever be useable. I can have a graft but they can be problematic for infections. Anyone have a graft please? I'm not sure I even want to do dialysis. Maybe the matter will be out of my hands. Also if you have a fistula that doesn't work or you get a transplant what happens to the fistula? Is it reversible? Thank you
suz
Posts: 57
Joined: Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:33 am
Location: Australia

Re: Veins borderline for fistula

Post by suz »

Hi Sporti

I have a graft in my thigh as my veins are too small for a fistula. I was on dialysis for over four and a half years, during that time I didn't have any infections in the graft and it continued to work very well.

I understand when you say you are not sure that you even want to do dialysis as I felt the same way. Even though I started, it was always at the back of my mind that I could stop anytime I wanted. As someone who had a needle phobia and use to pass out at the sight of blood it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. I met some remarkable people who had,have far more to cope with than I did and they still remain positive and make the most of life.

I hope it all goes well for you.
Suz
lizbee
Posts: 246
Joined: Thu May 02, 2013 11:02 am
Location: Glasgow

Re: Veins borderline for fistula

Post by lizbee »

I have just had a graft done and it is working fine was on dialysis the day after it was fitted. I won.t kid you it is some procedure to get it done but well worth it. I had a fistula which was working but not big enough and as I needed dialysis at that point they suggested the graft. I have had a full week.s worth of dialysis and I have noticed some small changes now so it can only get better I hope. I felt like you that I would not have dialysis but after discussions about my options if I did.nt I decided to go ahead with it, its a massive change to life style but then so is kidney disease in the first place...........good luck to you whatever you decide............

Liz
I am 61 years old


diagnosed 17 years ago with Membratts disease

Now receiving dialysis

I am Scottish and live in Glasgow.
jstuartrobson
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:48 pm
Location: Spalding, Lincolnshire

Re: Veins borderline for fistula

Post by jstuartrobson »

I had the fistula op. Fistula functioned for about a minute according to the surgeon.

They did a map of my veins and they were too narrow. Nothing was ever done about it. I went on PD and that was it.
AmandaClare
Posts: 658
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:58 pm
Location: London

Re: Veins borderline for fistula

Post by AmandaClare »

A failed fistula will be very different depending how long it was used for, I imagine.. Mine clotted 20 years ago after buzzing for about 8 years. Now it's almost flat and just a white operation scar plus a couple of patches of scarring from the needles. Cosmetically it's not bad at all. However it was only in use for 3 months (after pd stopped working and before transplant). I know they get bigger and more scarred the more they are used.

They don't generally deliberately reverse them, unless things have changed since my tx - they like a backup plan even for a well functioning transplant.

Really hope you find a way forward you're happy with. Best of luck.
Alports Syndrome
Dialysis 1986, aged 14
Transplant 1988, still going strong!
Baby boy 2010
MandyV
Posts: 1717
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:17 am
Location: Fulham

Re: Veins borderline for fistula

Post by MandyV »

Again this is something that varies by unit - at WLRTC they are quite happy to use necklines for long term but also they have a transplant surgeon who started as a vascular surgeon and who enjoys that work so will reverse redundant fistula(e)? which are too large and causing problems - i.e. I heard of one man who had been on HD for years and his fistula was so large that he couldn't wear regular shirts, hence a reversal for him made a huge difference to quality of life. I don't believe that it is routine to reverse and certainly I have two failed fistulae and there is no plan to do anything about them. I never had HD as a result (stuck to PD for the entire 6 years).
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