Laminate is dedicated to improving vascular access and committed to advancing arteriovenous fistula (AVF) function for hemodialysis patients globally.
Below is general information about hemodialysis and how VasQ may help support your fistula.
About Hemodialysis
Hemodialysis is a medical treatment that replaces the function of failing kidneys with a hemodialysis machine to clean toxins from your blood.
Hemodialysis requires a dialysis access to be created in your body, typically by a surgeon, so enough blood can be transferred to the dialysis machine, cleaned and returned safely to your blood vessels.
There are different types of dialysis access. Physicians generally prefer the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) because it tends to work well over the long-term and has the lowest risk of life-threatening complications like infection.†
Your Fistula:
A Lifeline for Failing Kidneys
A fistula is a direct connection of your vein to your artery that increases blood flow for hemodialysis (see diagram below). It can be created surgically either in your forearm or upper arm, depending on the size and condition of your blood vessels.
A fistula usually takes weeks to months to grow and be considered “mature” enough by your physician to support hemodialysis treatment. Once mature, the AVF becomes your lifeline to maintaining healthy blood for your body to work properly.
Why AVF May Fail to Mature
Some fistulas do not mature enough to provide effective hemodialysis. A common reason is the vein lacks the structure to support the increase in blood flow. The vein may adapt by reducing its size to reduce the blood flow, which would provide poor hemodialysis. The physician may perform additional operations to mature the fistula or decide to abandon the fistula in favor of a new dialysis access.
VasQ™ Supports Fistula Maturation
VasQ is implanted around the vein and artery connection to provide structural support and guide the maturation of the fistula to become functional.
VasQ has reported encouraging results in multiple clinical studies. A US pivotal clinical study has shown that VasQ patients tended to establish continuous use of their fistulas with a lower risk of requiring additional procedures when compared to unsupported fistulas.1 These VasQ benefits are also supported by published data from outside the US.2-4
2 Karydis N et al. Am J Kidney Dis. 2020;75(1):45-53.
3 Shahverdyan et al. J Vasc Access. 2021;22(2):166-172.
4 Benedetto et al. J Vasc Access. 2022;23(4):524-531
The Implantation of VasQ
Your surgeon implants VasQ during the course of the standard, pre-planned creation of your fistula with no impact to your hospital stay or recovery. Your arm should look and feel the same as if a standard fistula was created without VasQ.
What Happens After the Operation
Your physician will make an appointment with you for a follow up examination. At this meeting, the maturation of your vein and the condition of your fistula will be examined. Once the fistula is determined to be mature enough, your nephrologist will determine a hemodialysis treatment plan for you.
*For more information about kidney disease and dialysis, please visit:
www.aakp.org/center-for-research-and-education
