My Graftula

[mogee]

After seven years and more than twenty angioplasties my fistula failed.  It was de-clotted and ballooned, but re-clotted immediately.  To keep the site usable a very expensive covered stent was inserted into the fistula, creating what is essentially a graft.  It is four days since the stent was placed, and it seems to be working well.  I'm getting flow rates of 1400-1500 ml/min.  The only problem is that it is extremely difficult to cannulate.  Between the heavily scarred vessel and the thickness of the stent, it is very difficult to know when my needle is in the right place.  I fear that I will accidentally destroy the stent while trying to get to the lumen.  Hopefully, the stent will work until I get a kidney.

[noahvale]

^^^

[sullidog]

I hope it does too! I have a graft that has had 3 of those covered stents and it's still crap.

[kitkatz]

I had three stents put into a graft. They are hard to stick, like chicken wire or screen.

[mogee]

Update.  The stent clotted and could not be saved.  I had a central line put in today.

[jbeany]

Ah, that stinks, mogee.  Hope you can get a new one soon, and get rid of the hardware.

[mogee]

Today I was offered a graft because the surgeon was available to perform the procedure.  I declined.  I want to give the line a decent chance of success.  If it works well for me I may need nothing else before a transplant becomes available for me, and I've preserved an access site for the future.