Ultrasound‐Guided Cannulation of the Hemodialysis Arteriovenous Access

Successful cannulation of the arteriovenous access for patients with end‐stage kidney failure to allow catheter‐free hemodialysis is associated with superior patient outcomes. With an increasing rate of arteriovenous access creation, coupled with increasing dialysis patient age, the “difficult‐to‐cannulate” access is becoming more commonplace. Ultrasound‐guided cannulation aims to improve first‐time successful cannulations and minimize cannulation‐associated complications such as infiltration and hematoma formation, minimizing delays in access use and reducing catheter dependency. Ultrasound‐guided cannulation has the potential to not only improve patient experience but also reduce morbidity associated with complications, dialysis catheter dependency, and subsequent healthcare costs. A smooth and complication‐free dialysis initiation is also important for the longevity of technique survival and self‐cannulation in home hemodialysis patients. Appropriate training of the ultrasound operator is required to ensure competent image acquisition with simultaneous needling. There are various approaches and considerations in choosing how to apply the ultrasound probe and needle the access, which are often governed by personal choice, training, and institutional patterns of practice more than a robust evidence base. Future research should focus on providing more clarity on the optimal method of utilizing ultrasound guidance in arteriovenous access cannulation, the precise indications for its use and, lastly, the benefits it confers compared to traditional blind cannulation.