Type of Surgery
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Last updated: 11/24/2009
An AV fistula can usually be created and can function well with no adverse affects in a person whose veins are large enough. The amount of time, usually a matter of months, it takes to develop the fistula after surgery will depend upon the size and...
strength of the patient's blood vessels and on the person's general condition and nutritional status. When the fistula develops, the thickened vein that has been joined to an artery can be seen in the arm and a pulse can be felt. The early development of an AV fistula as access for long-term dialysis has been shown to improve the survival of patients with chronic renal failure, and reduce the chances of being hospitalized with complications. It also gives them a better opportunity to choose self-dialysis as their treatment.
With good nutrition and a fully functioning AV fistula, dialysis patients can be relatively comfortable and free of complications. People may become tired and uncomfortable when it is nearly time for their next dialysis session. This is to be expected because wastes are building up in the blood, and the body senses that it is time to remove them.
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This narrated 3D animation shows how a glaucoma surgery is performed, specifically a trabeculectomy. While the video is incredibly detailed and thorough, it does contain anatomical, surgical, and medical terms throughout. Glaucoma is a disease in which too much fluid and, by extension, pressure builds up inside the eye. A trabeculectomy is one type of glaucoma surgery that improves fluid outflow from the eye and reduces intraocular (inside the eye) pressure.
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Other Information
An arteriovenous fistula is an abnormal connection or passageway between an artery and a vein. It may be congenital, surgically created for hemodialysis treatments, or acquired due to pathologic process, such as trauma or erosion of an arterial aneurysm.
Other Information
How many open-heart surgeries are performed each year? In 2005 in the United States, these procedures were performed: Valve replacements 106,000 Bypass (cardiac revascularization) 469,000 Heart transplants (performed in 2006) 2,192 Total open-heart procedures 699,000.
From: American Heart Association
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