I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear. Fistulas, grafts and hemodialysis (HD) catheters are all different types of vascular access and used for in-center or home HD. The HD catheter is inserted in the upper chest with the tip in the large heart vein. It is used for dialysis that is needed emergently or when someone doesn’t have good enough blood vessels to create a fistula or graft.
The peritoneal dialysis catheter is usually placed in the lower abdomen and is used for PD. It is best if the PD catheter is placed a few weeks before dialysis is needed. This allows the exit site to heal. In home training, patients learn how to take care of their exit site and do all the steps of PD. PD and any home HD allow more flexibility and make is easier to work and travel than in-center HD.
Has the doctor said what your husband’s glomerular filtration rate - GFR - % of remaining kidney function is? If he has no symptoms, he may be able to delay starting dialysis a while. Some people don’t start dialysis until their kidney function is 10% or less.