Overview of Best Practices and Complications in Hemodialysis Access

End-stage renal disease and the number of patients relying on hemodialysis are increasing. Hemodialysis access, such as autogenous arteriovenous (AV) fistulas, prosthetic AV grafts, and tunneled catheters, is essential yet also a major source of morbidity. This focused narrative review summarizes the best practices for access planning. Complications after AV fistulas are reviewed, including stenosis, thrombosis, infection, central venous stenosis, steal syndrome, ischemic monomelic neuropathy, high-output cardiac failure, and aneurysmal degeneration. Multidisciplinary collaboration between nephrology, vascular surgery, and clinicians taking care of dialysis patients is essential to optimize long-term outcomes for patients dependent on hemodialysis. This review is intended for non-nephrologists taking care of dialysis-dependent patients in their practice.