Often urgent need for dialysis requires a hemodialysis catheter.  A catheter is usually short term, however in some situations it is used for a permanent access.  Dialysis catheters are placed in the chest or neck area underneath the skin and stitched into place.  The catheter must always be kept clean and dry due to the risk of infection.  Swimming and bathing are usually restricted. 

An Arteriovenous (AV) graft is created by surgically connecting a vein to an artery using a soft plastic material shaped like a tube.  When the graft is ready to use for hemodialysis treatments.  One needle is placed in the arterial side and one is placed in the venous side of the graft.  The blood is pulled from the arterial needle to the arterial kidney then returned in the venous side. 

An Arteriovenous Fistula (AVF) is surgically created by directly connecting an artery to a vein.  Once the AVF is matured it gets bigger and stronger.  This process may take a couple of weeks to a month to complete and be ready to use for hemodialysis.  This type of access uses two needles for dialysis. One pulling blood from the body out of the arterial needle to the arterial kidney then returning the blood through the venous needle. 

A small flexible short catheter rune is surgically placed by cutting a small hole in the lower abdomen into the peritoneal cavity.  There are three parts to the catheter.  One part is placed in the peritoneal cavity, on part leads through the skin, and the final part leads out side of the body.