Two Stage Fistula?

[Fox_nc]

I am scheduled for fistula surgery on the 13th of this month and I have a few questions.  I have read past posts in this section and that answered most of them, but raised another.  I welcome any and all advice!

First off - the first time we looked at getting a fistula my transplant surgeon was not going to do it.  Now the staff at my hospital has changed and the new surgeon will be doing it.  Is that strange? Maybe the older surgeon wasn't going to do it because he was older or maybe because we only had 1 transplant surgeon at the time and he was busy (now we have 3)

Second - When he went over the surgery with me, he explained it as two surgeries.  From other posts and on-line information I thought it was a single surgery.  He said the first one will connect an artery and vein in one spot and then after it's strong (in a month or two) he will connect it to another vein further down my arm. He did tell me that he does it "differently" but I thought he meant different than the other 2 surgeons at the hospital.  I'm hoping that the national audience here can tell me if anyone else has had a fistula done this way.

Third - ok - this is kinda vain but do all of them stick out? I've seen many raised ones but I always assumed that was because of scar tissue ... but, maybe it's just the nature of the beast.

[sullidog]

Never heard it done that way, but maybe someone on here has.
Troy

[rbartem]

Soon I will be having a fistula put in, my doctor also told me in two surgeries...Tomorrow having perm cath done, what a life!

[Fox_nc]

Soon I will be having a fistula put in, my doctor also told me in two surgeries...Tomorrow having perm cath done, what a life!

Ok - that makes me feel a bit better - maybe it's a new technique! Mine's in a week - I'll let you know how it goes. Hate that you have to get a perm cath, but at least it's not really permanent.

[KICKSTART]

The only way its usually 2 stage is first of all to make the actual fistula ..join the vein and artery , then the second stage is to raise it nearer to the surface.

[Fox_nc]

That's kinda how I understand it, but he didn't say anything about "raising" anything - that sounds scary. 

I have to say that I am just scared to death about this surgery. My family thinks it's kinda funny considering all the other surgerys I've had done. Maybe it's because it will be something that I can't easily hide - I don't know .... but the wait is killing me right now.

[Rerun]

Yes, the first surgery is a quick one with a 2 inch incision.  The second one (if this is in the upper arm) will be about a 7 inch incision from your elbow to your arm pit.  Not trying to scare you, but no one told me and I about crapped when I saw it.  It heals fast and yes it will stick out, but you have to consider it your life line.  You can wear 3/4 length sleeves.  You can tell everyone you were in a sward fight and you won.

It is hard, but you have to do this.   

[Fox_nc]

Maybe that's why I'm freaked ... I elected to have this surgery. I'm not currently on dialysis and am not preparing for it. Naturally I know my transplant will not last forever and dialysis will eventually rear it's ugly head, but I'm getting the fistula being proactive for plasmapheresis treatments that I may or may not need in the future. I coulda said no... Too late now since I'm scheduled for surgery tomorrow and have to be at the hospital at 5:15am. If it goes the way you say, tomorrow should be ok.  I'll make sure and ask lots of questions before the next step.

I do, however like the sword fight idea .... Thanks for the encouragement!

[KICKSTART]

If you can get to a pc .. i hope it went ok 

[Fox_nc]

Whew! I made it! My surgery was a little delayed because someone was blessed to get a new kidney yesterday morning - yay!!  Good reason to get bumped so I didn't mind waiting.  It went better than I thought and I felt pretty good yesterday. It does hurt some and the pain set in good last night, but the pain meds are working pretty good. When I was in recovery waiting to go home I could barely feel the flow, but the doc said it sounded good with the stethescope. After I got home I could feel it between the bend in my elbow and the incision and now its even stronger and I can feel it above the elbow. I've attached a picture - it's kinda bruised but other than that I think it looks great!