Temporary Catheters and Stents

[502Blues]

Anybody had any problems with temporary catheters and stents.

Well when I first got sick in 1991 I had about 5% kidney function left. That had to start dialysis right away so they put in a temporary catheter in my right subclavical vein, that one had a problem so they put one in my left side. I then had a peritoneal Cathater put in and did that for 6 months. My dad gave me one of his kidneys in Feb 92. That lasted 6 yrs I went back on dialysis in 98,had a fistula put in my left lower arm. It wasn't that long after that  when i started having swelling and they realized that I had a blockage where that temporary catheter had been. Over the years I would have many angioplasties and stents put in. STENTS are trouble also. Everytime they would put in a stent,the area around the stent would close off. Stents do NOT work.So finally after several stents,there was no more room for any more stents and there was nothing left they could go for it. So i needed a new access,i decided to do peritoneal but it would not drain like it was supposed to. In the meantime they had to keep using my fistula while they figure out why my PD wasn't working. My arm was  swollen 3 times as big as normal  by the time i could stop using it. So i wasn't getting enough dialysis and my arm was about to explode it felt like. They wanted to put a fistula in my right arm but I had the same blockage in the subclavicle area already thanks to that Temp Cathater I had.   I needed dialysis right away while they figure out where to put one. I had another temp Cathater put in my left leg,groin area. I was in the hospital  and sick of being there and wanted to go home and they wouldn't go home with that, so i had them put a tunnel catheter in my right leg.  So they  finally decided to put an AV graft in my left leg and i went into surgery thinking thats where it would be,i woke up and it was in my abdomen because once again thanks to that temp cath i had in my groin, there was blockage which prevented me from getting it in my leg.. I had already figured by now that these temporary catheters are trouble but my suspicions were confirmed  when i talked to my friend Holly,who is education coordinator,unit supervisor, and RN. She just told me what i already knew, the catheters does much damage to the vessels.I'm not sure if that includes the Chest Caths, thank god Ive never had one of those. from what Ive seen,they cause problems too.  So now, the only possible option i have is my right leg, and thats if the tunnel cathater hasn't done the same kinda damage. A transplant may be months away if that.

[Lori1851]

My son had a permcath in the chest after 2 failed fistula surgeries. He got along with his fine.

Lori/Indiana

[petey]

Over the years, my husband Marvin has had 14 "perm caths" (temp caths in the clavicle) -- rotating between right and left sides.  These were used at the beginning of his dialysis journey (when he needed an immediate access) and inbetween times of failed grafts (4 of them), failed PD caths (two of them), and waiting for fistulas to mature (2 of them).  He had no real problems with the 14 perm caths, but when he needed a pacemaker last year, they wouldn't put one in the typical place (chest) because he had had so many perm caths.  His pacemaker is in his abdomen with leads up to the outside of his heart.

[502Blues]

They didnt put it the usual place probably because the vessels were to damaged to do so. they dont use alternate sites unless its necessary

[petey]

We were told they alternated sites for the perm caths (first left, then right, left, right, etc.) to keep from damaging the vessels too much on one side.

[502Blues]

Well I hope youre right. PermCaths are a little better than the temporary ones but i would imagine they do the same type of damage