can a fistula get reversed or removed?

[poohwade]

When I get my kidney, and when it works <stayin posi> will i be able to get it reversed? thanks.

[skyedogrocks]

Hi Wade - Your fistula is there for good, just in case you need dialysis after a transplant (sometimes a cadaver kidney is slow to start) or God forbid, something happens with the new kidney and it fails.  Since you are young, you will most likely need another transplant when you are older, so you will need it for then too.

Remember to keep exercising it though, sometimes a fistula will fail and a new one has to be put in another spot.  For instance, Rob has one in his wrist that isn't very good, it keeps clotting.  He had an upper arm fistula put in about 4 months ago for when his wrist fails.

Search for fistula's, there's a lot of great info on here about them.

[boxman55]

it's great to be positive about a transplant but even though getting one would be awesome the chances of rejection and failure are always a possibility. Live life to the fullest I have been told once you get a transplant because dialysis is always still a possibility again. Thus keeping the fistula is a good idea. Boxman                  sucks hey...

[okarol]

Jenna's fistula quit the day of her transplant. That may be due to no longer being uremic, which has a blood thinning
effect. Her vein kind of collapsed and all you see are the buttonhole scars. I would have preferred it was still available
in an emergency, but she can always get a permacath if it comes to that.

[Chris]

Just saw this post and that was a question I had after my transplant. I have a fistula that is clotted and a graft that bothers the heck out of me. It's unsightly, itchy, and a slight scratch breaks the skin. I wish it was possible to remove these things or reverse them.

[kellyt]

My vascular surgeon said yes it can be removed.  But they're right, you may need it in the future.  I know I wouldn't want a chest catheter or PD catheter.

[Krisna]

I got my fistula when I was 15 (1988).  That's almost 20 yrs!  I've had 3 transplants since.  It has clotted once and narrowed once, both times the surgeon was able to repair it!  Personally, I'm glad that it was still there when I needed dialysis again.  It was one thing less I had to worry abt! 

[Chris]

When my fistula clotted, the surgeon didn't even try to repair it. The only option I had was the AV Graft. Even though I hated the fistula's thrill, I could put up with it compared to this graft I have, which I can't hear a thrush anymore. Can you tell I'm annoyed about having a graft.