Bleeding at the shunt
Incorrect puncture of the dialysis shunt can lead to bleeding. However, these bleedings are usually small and have no further consequences for the patient. As a result, a haematoma can develop. If the bleeding is greater than expected, surgery may be necessary in rare cases to ensure the shunt functions properly and to find the exact cause of the bleeding. However, by regularly checking the blood clotting values and a careful puncture, the risks of bleeding at the shunt are very low.
Where can you put a shunt everywhere?
In principle, the dialysis shunt should be applied to the non-dominant extremity. For right-handed patients, the shunt should be placed on the left arm and vice versa. This way, the patient is not restricted so much in his everyday movements.
In most cases, the dialysis shunt is applied to the upper extremity. The most common shunt connection here is the so-called Cimino shunt. It is located on the forearm and connects the radial artery and the cephalic vein.
Another possibility is to connect the brachial artery and the cephalic vein in the crook of the arm. If it is not possible to create a shunt on the arm, in rare cases it may also be possible to create a shunt on the thigh.
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