Hemodialysis is a therapeutic procedure that can sustain the patient's life in acute renal failure (ARF), during the renal function recover. To perform hemodialysis (HD), an extracorporeal circulation is established to blood filtration, imposing the need of a viable and efficient vascular access. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and complications of the HD vascular access with temporary double-lumen catheter inserted into the external jugular vein. Ten mongrel dogs with ARF, induced by gentamicin administration, were submitted to daily hemodialysis for one hour, until renal function recover or death. A total of 104 HD sessions were performed. Catheter replacement was accomplished in seven sessions (6.7%), due to catheter lumen mechanical obstruction in six sessions (5.8%) or accidental catheter output in one session (1.0%). No catheter migration, infection, bleeding or haematoma around the catheter insertion site was found. Effective blood flow rates were observed in 90.4% HD sessions. In conclusion, the vascular access in jugular external vein with temporary double-lumen catheter was valuable, with few complications, and should be indicated to vascular access in extracorporeal circulation to HD in ARF dogs.
azotemia; complications; hemodialysis; vascular access
