A Safe, Long-Term Vascular Access for Dialysis
People with kidney failure often need hemodialysis to clean their blood. For dialysis to work, doctors need a reliable way to access your blood vessels.
A tunneled hemodialysis catheter is a soft, flexible tube placed under the skin into a large vein (usually in the neck or chest) that allows safe and repeated dialysis treatments—especially when a fistula or graft is not ready or not possible.
A tunneled hemodialysis catheter is:
It is used for:
Reliable dialysis access
Can be used soon after placement
More secure and longer-lasting than temporary catheters
This catheter is placed when:
Main goals:
The procedure is performed by a trained specialist (often an interventional radiologist or surgeon) using ultrasound and X-ray guidance.
Step-by-step:
The catheter can usually be used for dialysis within 24 hours (sometimes even earlier, depending on the type).
Tunneled hemodialysis catheter placement is generally safe, but like any procedure, it has some risks. Approximate incidence includes:
Your dialysis access options depend on:
Your nephrologist and interventional radiologist will help you choose the best option.
Alternative 1: No Dialysis Catheter or Access
Alternative 2: Permanent Hemodialysis Access (AV Fistula or AV Graft)
Alternative 3: Peritoneal Dialysis
Choosing the Right Dialysis Access
A tunneled hemodialysis catheter provides quick, reliable access for dialysis when treatment is needed urgently or while waiting for a fistula or graft to mature. A personalized evaluation ensures the safest and most effective dialysis access plan.
📌 Whenever possible, a fistula or graft is preferred for long-term dialysis, but tunneled catheters are very useful when those are not ready or not possible.
After catheter placement:
A transjugular liver biopsy is a minimally invasive procedure where a small sample of liver tissue is taken through a vein in the neck, making it safer for patients who have a high risk of bleeding or ascites.
It is used when a patient:
No. It is usually a temporary or medium-term solution until a fistula or graft is ready, though in some patients it may be used longer.
A tunneled catheter:
The procedure is done under local anesthesia, so most patients feel only mild discomfort.
The procedure usually takes 30 to 45 minutes.
In many cases, yes. It can often be used within 24 hours, and sometimes even the same day.
It can stay for several months or longer, as long as it works well and there is no infection or blockage.
Possible risks include infection, bleeding, bruising, catheter blockage, poor blood flow, or rarely lung or vein injury. Serious complications are uncommon.
You can usually shower with precautions, but the catheter site must be kept dry and protected. Your dialysis team will guide you.
It is safe and widely used, but AV fistula or graft is usually better for long-term dialysis because they have lower infection risk.
It is usually inserted by a trained interventional radiologist, vascular surgeon, or surgeon using ultrasound and X-ray guidance.
Yes. It is available in most hospitals and dialysis centers across India.
Reliable access for dialysis
Can be used quickly
Minimally invasive placement
Useful when fistula/graft is not ready
Safer and longer-lasting than temporary catheters
Improves continuity of dialysis care
If you or your loved one needs urgent or long-term dialysis access, you don’t have to wait or struggle with repeated needle attempts. A Tunneled Hemodialysis Catheter provides a safe, reliable, and quick solution to start or continue life-saving dialysis.
