jolegel

Button Hole Needles are not sharp on the edges. You pick one person to cannulate afistula. That person removes the scab from the previous insertion site. Using the same angle, the fistula will be cannulated in the same sites until a "track" develps. Like pierced ears. Eventualy you can cannulate the fistula with needles that have a blunt edge. This process works great on people that have a short area to work with. It helps prevent aneursums from repeated sticks in a small area. It also helps cut down on infiltrations. We use this technique on a few people that have short or "angled" fistulas. Until the area is easily access with blunt needles, the same person canulates that pt.

I would like to hear from those of you that have created new button holes in fistulas. How long did you need to use sharp needles? What kinds of problems are likely in establishing a new button hole? The nurse that is establishing a button hole in tha unit I work in says that it frequently takes much longer than the articles I have read say. She is naturally the only one sticking this patient. I am concerned that using sharp needles too long will creat more scar tissue, but if the button hole needles are not sliding in easily, what choice do we have? I would like to have more insight into this. An comments would be welcome. Tracey