Value of Ultrasound Guidance in Placement of Hemodialysis Access Catheters in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease

The increasingly frequent use of ultrasound for the placement of central venous catheters has shown improved results. This study examined the role of ultrasound in the placement of hemodialysis access catheters in patients with end-stage renal disease. The subjects were all end-stage renal disease patients admitted to our hospital between January 2004 and April 2005 and who underwent ultrasound-guided placement of a hemodialysis catheter in a central vein. All patients underwent perioperative ultrasound assessment of the venous access site, followed by fluoroscopic confirmation of the catheter placement. Data from medical charts and the hospital computer system were subjected to statistical analysis. A total of 126 patients underwent ultrasound-guided placement of a hemodialysis catheter in a central vein; 58 had undergone prior placement of a central vein catheter, but 69 had not. Patients in the later group had a 100 per cent success rate in catheter placement after ultrasound assessment of one central vein. Among patients who had previously undergone central vein catheterization, 29 had jugular venous occlusion, 12 had bilateral jugular venous occlusion and thus required placement of femoral venous catheters and, 15 patients had jugular vein stenosis and 2 patients had the jugular vein thrombosed. The use of ultrasound to assess the central veins facilitated the identification of vein suitable for catheterization and the avoidance of occluded central veins. This protocol is effective and improves patient safety.