Hemodialysis catheter placement and management.

Hemodialysis catheters are an integral part of the delivery of hemodialysis. While catheters play an important role in the patient undergoing hemodialysis, catheters should be considered a bridge to more permanent forms of dialysis access in most patients. Recent advances in catheter technology, access techniques, and choice of access sites have improved outcomes associated with hemodialysis catheters. The placement and management of hemodialysis catheters by interventional radiologists have played an important role in these advances, and interventional radiologists are taking an increasingly active role in the research and development of catheters and catheter insertion techniques. The present status of hemodialysis catheters is reviewed.