What is Permacath (Dialysis catheter)?
A Permacath is a two-lumen tube that is used to administer haemodialysis; blood is removed from one channel of the tube which is filtered by the dialysis machine, and then returned to your circulation via the second channel. A Permacath is often used temporarily, but can stay in place for up to 3 years.
Why perform Permacath (Dialysis catheter)?
You have been referred for this procedure because your kidneys may not be working as well as they could be and aren’t able to provide adequate filtration of the blood, so your nephrologist has recommended that you have haemodialysis. A Permacath may be used in people who are waiting for maturation of a fistula, or for people who may not be suitable for a fistula or peritoneal dialysis.
How does Permacath (Dialysis catheter) work?
The procedure can be done under either local anaesthetic or sedation in an operating room with specialised medical imaging equipment. Your interventional radiologist will use an ultrasound to guide a fine needle into the vein at the base of your neck (jugular vein). A small incision is made on the chest wall and the Permacath is tunnelled under the skin, over the collar bone and then passed into the jugular vein. The tip of the tube sits just above or in the right atrium of the heart, where there is rapid blood flow to accommodate the high flows required for dialysis.
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