Buttonhole Versus Step Ladder Cannulation in High Dose Hemodialysis

Vanguard Multi-Centre Feasibility Trial to Determine if Buttonhole Versus Step Ladder Cannulation for High Dose Hemodialysis is Associated With Reduced Overall Cost

The purpose of the pilot study is to determine: 1) Will patients agree to be randomized to two different methods of putting needles in their arteriovenous fistula and, 2) if we can adequately coordinate all of the sites to get useful multicentre trial data

To determine the feasibility of 1) randomizing patients to step-ladder versus buttonhole cannulation techniques, and 2) coordinating the multiple Canadian sites that are required for the definitive study.

Secondary Objectives: To determine 1) if buttonhole cannulation, compared to step-ladder cannulation is associated with reduced training time for high dose home hemodialysis patients, 2) if buttonhole cannulation, compared to step-ladder cannulation is associated with reduced overall cost, 3) if buttonhole cannulation, compared to step-ladder cannulation is associated with reduced complications (infection - local and systemic, radiologic/surgical interventions, re-trains for needle insertion difficulties, hematoma formation, aneurysm formation, missed insertions), and 4) if buttonhole cannulation, compared to step-ladder cannulation is associated with reduced patient discomfort with needling for intensive home hemodialysis patients

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adult patients > 18 years old,
2. Training for home hemodialysis
3. Able to give informed consent,
4. Arteriovenous fistula 5. Life expectancy of greater than 12 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Potential to be lost from the program within 12 months of training (planned living donor transplant, transfer to peritoneal dialysis (PD) or move from training centre catchment area),
2. Allergy to mupirocin,
3. Short segments or aneurysms within the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) that the attending nephrologist believes require buttonhole cannulation.,
4. Mechanical heart valves,
5. Patients who require intradermal lidocaine for needle insertion -