Infiltration

Sher asked about infiltration. I found this description online at globaldialysis.com: Among the most dramatic and troublesome complications of dialysis is access infiltration. In most cases the infiltration is minor and usually results from either inadequate hemostasis at the end of dialysis or needle perforation through the access site [this is what happened to K]. Extravasation injury to the access is more likely when a needle errantly transfixes a graft or vein or when it accidentally becomes dislodged into the subcutaneous tissue. The venous return needle presents the biggest problem. In the face of typical pump speeds of 400 to 500 mL/min a potentially huge volume of fluid can enter the soft tissue before the pump stops in response to the alarm for elevated venous pressure. In many cases, the graft is unusable for weeks after such an episode. Continued use of the access in this setting may result in loss of the access site.