A 40-year-old gentleman with kidney failure had been receiving regular dialysis through his left arm AV fistula for more than two years. One day, he noticed that the usual vibration (called a thrill) over his fistula had disappeared, which meant the blood flow had stopped.
After an ultrasound evaluation, we found that a blood clot had blocked the fistula near its origin, preventing it from functioning.
Using a minimally invasive endovascular procedure, we inserted a small balloon through the blood vessel and gently widened the blocked area using 5 mm and 7 mm balloons. This restored normal blood flow, and the fistula started working again immediately.
Outcome:
Dialysis access successfully restored No need for a new catheter or surgery Patient was able to continue dialysis using the same fistulaWhy this matters:
Early treatment of a blocked AV fistula can often save the existing access, helping patients avoid temporary dialysis catheters and more complex surgeries.
