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    1. About Kidney Disease
      1. OVERVIEW
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      1. OVERVIEW
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      7. In-Center Hemodialysis
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      9. Insurance & Managing Costs
      10. Choosing Not to Treat
    3. Life On Dialysis
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    Find a Dialysis Center

    Find a Dialysis Center

    Find a Dialysis Center
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      Need help? Call 1-888-373-1470

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      1. About Kidney Disease
        1. Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease
          1. Symptoms
          2. Risk Factors
          3. Causes
          4. Diagnosis and Testing
          5. GFR Calculator
        2. Kidney Disease Stages
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          5. Stage 5
        3. What Is a Nephrologist?
        4. What to Expect with CKD
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          1. Kidney Diet Basics
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          4. Diabetes
          5. High Blood Pressure
        6. Understanding Acute Kidney Injury
          1. Acute Kidney Injury Treatment and Recovery
        7. How Kidneys Work
        8. Take a FREE CLASS on Kidney Disease
      2. Treatments
        1. Dialysis Basics
          1. How Does a Hemodialysis Machine Work
          2. Starting Dialysis
          3. Types of Dialysis Access
          4. Your Care Plan
          5. Dialysis Medications
          6. Monitoring Your Lab Results
        2. Benefits of Home Dialysis
        3. Home Peritoneal Dialysis
          1. What to Expect
          2. Getting Prepared
          3. PD Access
          4. PD Training
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          6. Your Care Team
        4. Home Hemodialysis
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          2. Getting Prepared
          3. HD Training
          4. HD Monitoring
          5. Your Care Team
        5. Sign up to Talk to a Home Dialysis Expert
        6. In-Center Hemodialysis
          1. In-Center Treatment Options
          2. What to Expect
          3. Types of Vascular Access for Hemodialysis
          4. Your Care Team
          5. How to Choose a Center
        7. Transplant
          1. Finding a Kidney Donor
          2. Considering Kidney Donation
        8. Insurance & Managing Costs
          1. Understanding Medicare Coverage
          2. Understanding Medicare Advantage
          3. Understanding Employer Plans
        9. Choosing Not to Treat
      3. Life On Dialysis
        1. Your Emotional Health While on Dialysis
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        6. PatientHub
      4. Recipes & Nutrition
        1. Recipes
        2. Managing Your Diet
          1. Eating Well on a CKD Diet
          2. Eating Well on a Dialysis Diet
          3. Salt and Kidney Disease
          4. Potassium and Kidney Disease
          5. Phosphorus and Kidney Disease
          6. Talking With Your Dietitian
        3. Fluid Management on Dialysis
        4. Dialysis Diet Planning
          1. Kidney-Friendly Shopping
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          3. Holiday Diet Tips
          4. A Chef’s Advice | Chef Aaron McCargo on Kidney Friendly Meals
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      1. Home
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      3. Dialysis
      4. Comparing Hemodialysis Access Types: What’s Best and What’s Next
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      Comparing Hemodialysis Access Types: What’s Best and What’s Next

      AccessCompare_MainIcon

      There are 3 types of access for hemodialysis (HD): AV (arteriovenous) fistula, graft and HD catheter. Choosing the best access for you will help you get the most out of your treatment and help you stay your healthiest. It’s important to understand which types are recommended—and why.

      Fistula vs. graft vs. catheter

      See how the choices compare so you can make an informed decision.

      FISTULA (AV OR AVF)
      The gold standard of HD access sites
      Improves the quality of your dialysis treatment
      Offers low risk of infection
      Lasts up to 20+ years
      Helps you avoid complications and hospitalizations
      Offers the best survival rate of all AV access sites
      Good for anyone who’s physically eligible for the optimal access
      Graft
      A good alternative if you’re not a candidate for a fistula
      Improves the quality of your dialysis treatment
      Offers low risk of infection
      Helps you avoid complications and hospitalizations
      May help prepare you for a fistula later
      Good for people with smaller or weaker veins
      Good for people who can’t get a fistula and want their best access
      Catheter
      Not recommended unless required for health reasons
      Possible to upgrade to another access
      Good for people who medically require a hemodialysis catheter
      FISTULA (AV OR AVF) Graft HD Catheter
      The gold standard of HD access sites A good alternative if you’re not a candidate for a fistula Not recommended unless required for health reasons
      Improves the quality of your dialysis treatment
      Offers low risk of infection
      Lasts up to 20 years
      Helps you avoid complications and hospitalizations
      Offers the best survival rate of all HD access sites
      Good for people with smaller or weaker veins
      Possible to upgrade to a better access
      Who it’s good for Anyone who’s physically able and wants the best access Anyone who can’t get a fistula and wants an effective access Anyone who medically requires a hemodialysis catheter

      It’s never too early to discuss access types

      The sooner you and your doctor decide on your best hemodialysis access, the better. Planning ahead gives you the most flexibility in getting the access type you want. Ask your doctor if a fistula is right for you.

      PLANNING YOUR ACCESS SURGERY

      Once you and your doctor have decided on an access type, you’ll want to schedule your surgery. Azura Vascular Care, an affiliate of Fresenius Kidney Care, offers minimally invasive, outpatient dialysis access surgery.

      Find a location near you
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      STARTING DIALYSIS? TAKE A FREE CLASS

      Learn how to feel your best and thrive on dialysis. Choose the class format that fits your life—educator-led or self-guided.
      Sign Up now

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