Has anyone had any difficulty with the buttonhole technique? The problem I’ve had has been I have switched to the blunt needle with the site and am able to use it for a few treatments. Then suddenly, when I cannulate it will not deliver any blood. Has anyone else seen this problem?
Hmmm, I’ve had something like that but to be sure it’d help to have more info: how often do you dialyze, how many sets of buttonholes do you have, does this happen to both the arterial and venous, etc. Can you give some more background?
Are you sure the needle didn’t just clot. Mine clots pretty quickly. I simply use a 10cc without a needle, attach it to the end of the buttonhole and pull the clot out, then everything works great.
Cathy
home hemo 9/04
only buttonholes
Oh yes…oh YES. I had a lot of trouble cannulating, over a period of weeks.
Eventually I got an infection & LOST the fistula, back in November. Still on permacath.
They reckon I’d given it such a ‘bashing’, when I had trouble, that it was a disaster
waiting ot happen. so be VERY CAREFUL when dealing with fistulas, especially
buttonholing. Any doubt get it checked.