A new technology using magnets to gain easy access to the blood arteries for hemodialysis treatment is in the application stage. Patients undergoing the blood cleansing treatment will no longer go through the pains of invasive surgery.
The data published in the American Journal of Kidney Disease uses radiofrequency energy to locate and make accessibility easier than open surgery. The data also shows that the hemodialysis is reliable and with lesser complications compared with invasive surgery. Hemodialysis patients now have access to this technology that would be more convenient and less stressful.
A study involving 80 patients from New Zealand, Canada, and Australia on a one-year span, shows that the arteriovenous fistula (AV-fistula) using magnetic technology is successful in 98 percent of the 80 cases under the trial phase. 87 percent were also found to be compatible physiologically for dialysis within three months after its creation. Complications like thrombosis had been specifically low with only 10.8 percent per year than that of the conventional AV-fistula which is from 14 percent to 26 percent per year. Usual surgical fistulas usually need three methodical procedures before accessing blood for hemodialysis while the magnetic technology needs less, reports Science Daily.
The hemodialysis blood accessibility study has the Medical Director for Kidney Health Diseases and Hemodialysis Programs, Dr. Charmaine Lok, taking the lead at the Toronto General Hospital. The title of the study is "Endovascular Proximal Forearm Arteriovenous Fistula for Hemodialysis Access: Results of the Prospective, Multicenter Novel Endovascular Access Trial (NEAT)." Dr. Lok adds that a number of patients do not want to have an AV Fistula because of the surgeries and scars that they have to undergo; now they have the option with this radiofrequency energy technology that will soon be accessible, reports Science News Line Medicine.
The NEAT clinical technique to have hemodialysis blood accessibility is the next option without invasive surgery. Utilizing the EverlinQ EndoAVF System by TVA Medical, flexible catheters equipped with magnets are inserted in an artery and a vein in the forearm. These vessels are then drawn together by the magnets and with a short burst from by radiofrequency energy delivery through the magnetized catheters, creates a connection between the two vessels, an AV Fistula is ready for hemodialysis blood accessibility.
There is no surgical scar after the removal of the flexible magnets. Dr. Dheeraj Rajan, co-primary investigator supervises all AV-Fistula using the magnetic technology for all radiofrequency energy procedure at the Toronto General Hospital.
