Fistula new

[Bluebutterfly]

 How does second surgery go? I had fistula formation 3 days ago
Surgery in 6 weeks to move to middle of upper arm
And superior not deep.  Has anyone done this?
Is it worse pain?

[PrimeTimer]

I'm not sure what you mean about "superior not deep" but sounds like they've checked your fistula and want to correct something now to avoid trouble later. My husband's fistula is in his upper left arm, just above the inside of his elbow. His venous section of it snakes a little towards his shoulder and the arterial portion winds down to just above his elbow. Seems to be a common location altho other people have fistula's in other arms, legs, near their wrists, etc. Guess it depends on your veins and where they can get the best blood flow so you can get good dialysis results. They will (or should) teach you how to check your fistula every day to make sure you feel the "bruit" and "thrill" (blood moving). I know this is probably all so overwhelming, takes a long time to adjust to things so go slow and take it one step/day at a time. One of the best things you can do for yourself is come here to the site and talk to people to get thru it.   

[Michael Murphy]

I assume your second surgery is a angiogram and a possible angioplasty.  If that hats the case, as the fistula forms it forms narrow sections called stenois.  This  procedure is to fix these and reach optimal flow.  Again if this is what's planned if you have RKF (Residual Kidney Fubnction, you still urinate) make sure they use minimal contrast since the dye is bad for your kidneys.  Dialysis is easier if you can maintain some function.

[iolaire]

It sounds to me like they are creating a larger vein that they will transplant to a different part of your arm?  If so I'd expect that cutting out the larger vein and moving it will be more intensive then the initial connection of the vein to the artery since transplantation of a vein from one place to another involves more surgery and insertion of a foreign vein to a place where it doesn't naturally live.  So if that is what they are doing I would think it might be more painful, so talk to your doctors if the initial surgery was painful, they have a lot of options for pain control.

I don't really remember the fistula surgery so it must have been not that bad.  (But I think I have a high tolerance for medical stuff.)

When I've had angioplasty its been very easy.  I go in and they do their work, I drift off to sleep lightly as they poke and prod around and wake up feeling ok.  The main side effect is each time I have horrendous looking "bruising" where the die gets into my skin and makes dark colored splotches on my skin that says around for like a week.  The first time it worried me because no one warned me and when I called it they didn't really know what it was but as long as it was not hurting they felt it was ok.  I used to drive in for angioplasty rest a bit afterwards and drive to work.  The last time they changed the rules and I had to have someone to drive me home (or other transport).

[Simon Dog]

There is a procedure where the vein is not disconnected, but it brought closer to the surface for easier access.

[Bluebutterfly]

 :clap;yes
Bringing it closer to surface of arm.  Why didn't they
Do this all at once. Why 2 surgeries 6 weeks apart
I don't get it.  Just more money and pain