Creating a way for your blood to reach a dialysis machine
If you have kidney failure, you’ll need dialysis therapy to clean and filter your blood. A surgically created vascular access allows blood to travel through the dialysis machine and return to the body.
The surgeons in our Vascular and Endovascular Program partner with kidney specialists (nephrologists) to provide you with the best options available. If at some point your dialysis access point becomes narrowed or clogged, they also can help resume normal blood flow.
What types of vascular access are available?
Your doctor will work with you to find the type of vascular access that will be most effective for your care. Potential options include:
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Catheter access: Immediate or temporary access can be created using two plastic tubes connected to blood vessels in your neck or groin. Catheters have the highest rate of infection and are not often used for long-term dialysis.
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Dialysis fistula: This is formed by connecting an artery to a vein in the arm. The connection to the artery causes the vein to grow over time and have a higher blood flow for dialysis. This type of access has the lowest rate of infection and can provide good blood flow for many years.
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Dialysis graft: Tubing is used to connect an artery to a vein, often in the arm. The graft allows for dialysis to be performed sooner than with a fistula, but the rate of infection is higher because the access is not formed using natural tissue.
Tests
Fluoroscopy
A fluoroscopy is an imaging technique that uses a continuous X-ray beam passed through the body to create real-time, moving images of your internal structures.
Our providers
Location: Change location Enter your location
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Othman Mohamed-Asem Abdul-Malak, MD
Vascular Surgery
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Michael Abramson, MD
Vascular Interventional Radiology & Interventional Radiology
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Margaret Walkup Arnold, MD
Vascular Surgery
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Vanessa R. Banks-Gonzales, ACNP-BC
Vascular Surgery
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Kristin M Brindisi, PA
Vascular Surgery
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Joshua A. Dearing, MD
Vascular Surgery
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Lucy B Kupersmith, MD
Vascular Surgery
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Kyle B. Reynolds, MD
Vascular Surgery
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Daniel M. Schwegler, PA-C
Vascular Surgery
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Mihae Shin-Diep, ACNP-BC
Vascular Surgery
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Raghuveer Vallabhaneni, MD
Vascular Surgery
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Edward Yiming Woo, MD
Vascular Surgery
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Ahmad Abu-Ghaida, MD
Vascular Surgery
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Sarkis Garabet Aghazarian, MD
Vascular Surgery
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Rashad Imran Majeed, MD
Vascular Surgery
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Jennifer Lynn Manjo, CRNP
Vascular Surgery
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Our locations
Distance from Change locationEnter your location
MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital
5601 Loch Raven Blvd. Baltimore, MD 21239
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
201 E. University Pkwy. Baltimore, MD 21218
MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
9000 Franklin Square Dr. Baltimore, MD 21237
MedStar St Mary's Hospital
25500 Point Lookout Rd. Leonardtown, MD 20650
MedStar Washington Hospital Center
110 Irving St. NW Washington, DC 20010
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
3800 Reservoir Rd. NW Washington, DC, 20007
MedStar Montgomery Medical Center
18101 Prince Philip Dr. Olney, MD 20832
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center
7503 Surratts Rd. Clinton, MD 20735
Ask MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute
Have general questions for our heart and vascular program? Email us at AskMHVI@medstar.net. If you have clinically-specific questions, please contact your physician’s office.