Benefit of Ultrasound Guidance in Arteriovenous Fistula (AVF) Cannulation in Pediatric Hemodialysis

For ultrasound-guided cannulation, the same ultrasound device will be used for all patients (TE5-POC ultrasound MINDRAY® system). The ultrasound device will identify the AVF aspect , the location including the depth (distance from the skin surface) , the vessel diameter and guide the cannulation in real-time. The device will be disinfected between uses and covered with a transparent adhesive film to avoid any direct contact with the patient. Sterile gel will be used for the cannulation.

The AVF cannulation is carried out by palpation. This technique consists of manually evaluating the position, direction and depth of the fistula in order to determine the puncture site where the 2-dialysis catheters will be inserted. After local asepsis, the AVF is therefore needled at 2 points 5 cm apart.