Successful (and Quick!) Declots for AV Access

In this episode, Dr. Neghae Mawla joins Dr. Christopher Beck and Dr. Aaron Fritts to discuss declots for AV access. We discuss what to include in a work up for a declot and how to assess the size of an aneurysm. Dr. Mawla tells us about the cases where he would not perform a declot, and he explains why he might choose to place catheter and dialyze first.

We discuss how to set up the room and how to prepare for the declot procedure. Dr. Mawla shares the reasons why he does not use an IV or ultrasound in pre-op. We explain the differences between using balloon maceration vs rotational thrombectomy device for treating outflow clot. We also touch on the back bleeding technique for declots.

We review the up-down technique, how to use ultrasound to your advantage, and how to avoid overlapping sheaths. We discuss clot burden and why declot procedure length may vary. We explain some different techniques for using multiple sheaths at a time, and Dr. Mawla tells us about troubleshooting during a recalcitrant stenosis. We discuss how to decide when to stent lesions and what follow-up care looks like. Dr. Beck and Dr. Fritts share some of their favorite things they have learned from Dr. Mawla about declots.