Unit of Vascular Access
The Vascular Access Unit is run by the Clínic Institute of Nephrology and Urology. The Unit’s main objective is to ensure comprehensive and multidisciplinary coverage of the centre’s reference population (400 prevalent and 150 incident patients in the haemodialysis programme), as well as proper planning in the implementation of a new vascular access for outpatients with advanced chronic kidney disease (ACKD) who choose haemodialysis as renal replacement therapy.
Since April 2014, and according to an agreement with CATSalut, the Unit has represented a support and reference area for vascular complications in patients throughout Catalonia on the haemodialysis programme. The Vascular Unit is made up of various specialists in the field of nephrology, vascular interventional radiology, vascular surgery and infectious diseases.
In short, in 2023 a total of 752 endovascular procedures and 314 surgical procedures were performed, and there were 619 outpatient visits with a total of 392 portable ultrasound scans being carried out.
Diseases, tests and procedures
Meet our professionals
The unit team is made up of two surgeons from the Cardiovascular Surgery Service, four specialists in angioradiology from the Radiology Service, a specialist from the Infectious Diseases Service, two specialists in nephrology and a nurse from the Nephrology and Renal Transplantation Service. They all work in coordination for the implantation and management of hemodialysis vascular access complications, whether native arteriovenous fistulas, vascular prostheses or permanent tunnelled catheters, depending on the needs of the patients.