When you have end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), your kidneys can no longer keep up with your body’s need to remove extra waste and water.
In fact, once your kidneys only have 10-15% of normal function, dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant are necessary to sustain life.1
When it comes to creating access to your bloodstream to administer hemodialysis, there are several access options. Your access options may vary greatly depending on your condition.
Keep in mind, risks with all ESKD access options should be discussed with your physician.
Arteriovenous Fistula (AVF)
AV fistulas can be created in your wrist, forearm, inner elbow or upper arm. Your AVF can be created either with an open surgery (surgical AVF) or with a minimally invasive procedure (endoAVF). WavelinQ™ EndoAVFs are created in the upper forearm. While maturation varies, some AV fistulas are able to function for many years.
Patients who may benefit from an endoAVF are chronic kidney disease patients who need hemodialysis. In addition, a patient must meet certain anatomical characteristics that support the use of the WavelinQ™ EndoAVF System procedure. Patients should consult their physician to determine if they are a candidate for an endoAVF procedure.