AZYGOS CATHETER PLACEMENT AS A CAUSE OF FAILURE OF DIALYSIS

Common complications of venous dialysis catheters include sepsis and a ccidental removal. Angiographic demonstration of dialysis lines is onl y rarely requested usually to confirm the presence of clot or stenosis as a cause for poor dialysis flow. Poor flow can also be due to inadv ertent placement of the catheter in the azygos system. The use of dial ysis catheters with a long venous limb which extends beyond the arteri al port may predispose to such placement as their lumen is lateral to the central axis of the catheter. In those patients with poor venous a ccess catheter placement under angiographic control may be helpful.