Chennai: “Annually, at least around 10,000 to 15,000 patients need kidney transplantation in Tamilnadu. The data released in 2018, show that only 245 renal transplantation has taken place in the State,” said Apollo Specialty Hospitals, OMR, interventional nephrologist, Dr Venkatesh Rajkumar.
He was speaking at a press conference here Tuesday to discuss the role of interventional nephrology playing a major role in resolving dialysis fistula problems.
Patients with advanced renal failure would need either kidney transplantation or long-term dialysis. Dialysis is the most frequently used method, as the availability of organs (kidneys) is very low. To get the necessary blood flow for dialysis, an access is required.
For long-term dialysis, the access is created with an arteriovenous (AV) fistula, which joins two blood vessels (an artery to a vein) under the skin to make a bigger blood vessel. Problems related to these AV fistula are very common and can compromise the functions of these fistula, said Venkatesh Rajkumar.
Elaborating on it, he said, “The chance of the fistula becoming mature to support dialysis is only around 50-60 per cent even in the best of situations. In addition, as the dialysis needs to be done regularly (3/week) problems can happen in a fistula in the longer run. Creating a well-functioning fistula is a little difficult given the high prevalence of diabetes in Indian patients who have thin blood vessels. In patients with repeated fistula related issues special techniques like drug releasing balloons are used.”
Pointing out solutions to solve fistula-related issues, he said, “Venogram, balloon angioplasty, drug releasing balloon, stenting and permcath are the techniques that can be used.” The patients undergoing dialysis through fistula were also present at the press meet.