Fistula dialysis procedure transformed with point-of-care ultrasound
Vanessa Wickens from Sonosite (left) and Dr Jennifer Hanko demonstrate the use of POC ultrasound.
Point-of-care (POC) ultrasound is widely used in nephrology for guiding the creation of fistulas and informing decisions on their viability and performance for dialysis. Consultant nephrologist at Belfast City Hospital Dr Jennifer Hanko explained its impact on her clinical practice and described the benefits of using ultrasound for both staff and patients.
“We use ultrasound to accurately map the patient’s veins and arteries, identify the best location for the fistula, and then monitor its maturation after creation. It also allows us to puncture a fistula with pinpoint accuracy, particularly when the patient first starts on dialysis treatment, and to assess the appearance and performance of vessels over time to judge whether it is still viable.
“In my experience, we can now use and maintain the viability of AV fistulas that would simply not be possible to access without POC ultrasound.”
See the full report on page 14 of the February 2019 issue of RAD Magazine.
