anyone else had an angioplasty? Old posts skimpy on info.

[MomoMcSleepy]

I went to the Access Clinic yesterday for a checkup of my fistula.  Now, I had noticed flow seemed lighter, and asked about it last time, but the doc wasn't worried.  I thought I just needed to squeeze my foam kidney more. 

I had to switch from the doc to a PA for convenience with work, and this time the new guy said I and a dip (coincidentally where there was a weird hardness and swelling that I had called in to the doc about) and inside my arm there is stenosis, you can feel a depression (he dip) from the outside.  The flow is 120 (I don't know the units) and should be 600, though the vessel is plenty big.  Sad face.

So NKOTB, one of our newest members, mentioned that her angioplasty "blew out" her fistula, so now she needs and upper arm one.  That freaked me out a bit.  Google has failed me in my search for info.  Anyone else had these problems, and did you need multiple angioplasty?






My fistulagram/angioplasty is set for August 14th, I am looking for a ride.







EDITED:  Moved from Introductions to General Discussion   jbeany, Moderator

[sullidog]

I just read something about that but can't remember the search terms or what website it was on.]
I have had countless angeoplasties neither of them so far damaged my graft.

[SugarBear]

I too have had many angioplasty over a six year period and my mom has had even more of them in her 10 plus years of dialysis with no issues.  I know a blow out can happen especially is its a newbie doctor doing the procedure but it is a relatively small percentage.

[jbeany]

I had them repeatedly and never had a problem.  Yes, it possible for them to damage it, but there's always a risk with any procedure.  When the option is a simple needle insertion and a ballooning to keep it open - compared to surgery for a new one - I'll take the ballooning or even a stent any day.

[noahvale]

*

[M3Riddler]

I went to the Access Clinic yesterday for a checkup of my fistula.  Now, I had noticed flow seemed lighter, and asked about it last time, but the doc wasn't worried.  I thought I just needed to squeeze my foam kidney more. 

I had to switch from the doc to a PA for convenience with work, and this time the new guy said I and a dip (coincidentally where there was a weird hardness and swelling that I had called in to the doc about) and inside my arm there is stenosis, you can feel a depression (he dip) from the outside.  The flow is 120 (I don't know the units) and should be 600, though the vessel is plenty big.  Sad face.

So NKOTB, one of our newest members, mentioned that her angioplasty "blew out" her fistula, so now she needs and upper arm one.  That freaked me out a bit.  Google has failed me in my search for info.  Anyone else had these problems, and did you need multiple angioplasty?






My fistulagram/angioplasty is set for August 14th, I am looking for a ride.







EDITED:  Moved from Introductions to General Discussion   jbeany, Moderator

There are many reasons why a fistula can do this.  Without detailed info on what happened to that person, it is hart do say.  But one reason why this may occur is due to muiltiple angios with balloon on the stenosed area.  Each time you have a ballloon inflated, this weekends the area and breaks down the tissues.     Just picture inflating and deflating a regular ballon.  After a while, it is going to loos its stability and strengh and has a greater risk of breaking....  I'm not saying your vein is a balloon, just giving you an example to understand easier..

///M3R