Hi
Now on my second week of alternate night 8-hour home hemodialysis, ladder self-cannulating a brachio-cephalic fistula.
At 70 (and with thinning skin) I’m wondering whether my 15 G, 25 mm length needle wouldn’t be better replaced by 17G @ 15 or 20mm? Pump runs at 200.
My dialysis nurse thinks turbulence with a 17 G needle may promote clotting.
Cheers
Anthony
Thanks for asking that question I have waited years to speak about th 17g needles, It is the biggest reason that there is so many infltration when using this needle for the frist cannualtion. If the vessel is 6mm wide 6mm deep as fistula first states, on the first cannualtion and the most INPORTANT that the vessel wall is as lest .13mm thick a 15 g needle should be used . These mesurements should be done before cannualtion takes place, using ultrasound imagery PERIOD… Your nurse is right. Smaller diameter neeles such as the 17g needle is to me the worst there is, why, it is the sharper needle of the group and when I use them there is a great chance of infltration.When the blood is pulled through the smaller opening the great damage that is done to the blood cells,no matter what the speed of the pump is, there have been multiple articles on this. If you have thin skin develop a buttonhole on the side of your fistula, thanks Anthony
Ok Anthony how are you doing, i made a mistake the vessel wall thickness should be .013 before cannualtion.