Dialysis Catheters: General Principles

The tunneled cuffed central venous catheter continues to play a key role in the dialysis access landscape. In America, most patients start dialysis via a tunneled central venous catheter. It is relatively easy to place and can be used immediately. However, the long-term complications such as central venous stenosis can limit future access options. In this chapter we review a brief history of catheter use for hemodialysis and its advantages and disadvantages. The reader will learn about catheter design and general principles to maximize catheter blood flow.