ABSTRACT
Currently more than 280,000 patients are maintained on chronic hemodialysis in the United States. Approximately 27,571 other patients undergo acute dialysis or hemonltration in the treatment of a variety of conditions ranging from acute renal failure to drug overdose (1, 2). Obtaining vascular access, temporary or permanent, in order to institute treatment in these patients requires the implementation of prosthetic devices, specific knowledge, and careful monitoring. Many of the complications related to vascular access are specific to the access technique, device, and site.
