SINGLE-NEEDLE DEVICE

Typical Number in Hospital:

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A few years ago haemodialysis was usually performed by connecting the haemodialysis machine to an arteriovenous shunt by which two plastic tubes passed through the skin at the wrist or lower leg, one into an artery, and the other into a vein. After dialysis these tubes were connected together forming a shunt between artery and vein. More recently an arteriovenous fistula has been used by which an artery and a vein are surgically joined internally to form a bulb of blood at the joint. During haemodialysis two needles are passed into the bulb (fistula), one for withdrawing blood and the other for returning it.

The procedure can be performed using a single needle through which blood is first withdrawn, fed to the dialyser, and then returned. This procedure requires a single-needle device which times the withdrawal procedure and return period, and clamps the tubes to the dialyser in turn to enable the use of a single line to the patient. With earlier haemodialysis machines this has required an external device but modern machines incorporate this into the main console.