Percutaneous AVF Creation Specialist

What is percutaneous AVF creation?

Percutaneous arteriovenous fistula (AVF) creation is a procedure to create a vascular access point for dialysis that you need to treat kidney disease and kidney failure. This access point makes it easy to quickly connect you to the dialysis machine to filter your blood of waste and excess fluids.

There are several ways to create this access point, including a percutaneous fistula. The providers at Humble Vascular Surgical Center offer two different methods for creating a percutaneous fistula — the Ellipsys® Vascular Access System and the WavelinQ™ EndoAVF System — both of which focus on creating an access point in your upper forearm.

What’s involved in percutaneous AVF creation?

In percutaneous AVF creation using the Ellipsys Vascular Access System, the Humble Vascular Surgical Center team uses heat to fuse the walls of an artery and a vein in your forearm to create the fistula.

To join the vessels, your surgeon uses ultrasound guidance to make a small puncture in a superficial vein. They insert a wire into the vein and move it toward your hand until the wire punctures your radial artery.

After removing the wire, your surgeon inserts a specialized catheter that pulls the walls of the artery and vein together. The Humble Vascular Surgical Center providers then use thermal energy to complete the connection, known as a fistula.

The WavelinQ EndoAVF System creation works similarly to Ellipsys, except the providers use radiofrequency energy to create the fistula with your ulnar artery to the ulnar vein. The surgeons also use fluoroscopy (real-time X-ray technology) instead of ultrasound throughout the procedure.

What are the benefits of percutaneous AVF creation?

Percutaneous AVF creation is a minimally invasive procedure that requires only small incisions to complete. The Humble Vascular Surgical Center providers use local or regional anesthesia to keep you comfortable without the need for general anesthesia.

Because percutaneous AVF uses an endovascular approach, the fistula should heal efficiently, and the surrounding tissue remains undamaged. You will have only small puncture wounds instead of a long-term scar in the treatment area.

Percutaneous AVF creation also reduces your risk for complications common with other fistula creation methods, such as infection or failure.

To find out more about the benefits of percutaneous AVF creation, schedule a consultation by calling Humble Vascular Surgical Center or booking online today.