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Experience Expert Care When You Need it Most

The Dialysis Access Team at Fairfield Medical Center is dedicated to providing fast, high quality, compassionate care to patients in need of lifesaving dialysis treatments.

Our vascular surgeons and dialysis access coordinators are experts in their field, and have an outstanding reputation across Central and Southeastern Ohio.

FMC dialysis patient Julie

Learn more about Julie Lindsey’s story here.

Services and Procedures

  • Dialysis access creation is performed during a minor outpatient surgical procedure, and hospitalization is not required. The goal of dialysis access creation is to essentially make your vein wider and thicker, eliminating any narrowing or blockages that could make dialysis more difficult.

    The two most common types of dialysis access methods include:

    • Fistulas – the connection of any artery to a vein in your arm
    • Graft – the connection of an artery to a vein via soft, plastic tubing in your arm

    A technology called vessel mapping allows our surgeons to determine which arm and which artery and vein are best suited for use in the creation of your dialysis access.

  • Your dialysis access site plays a vital role in your health – and our team is here to make sure it continues to function properly. If your graft or fistula becomes damaged, blocked or clogged, treatment will be required.

    Some common dialysis access maintenance and revision procedures include:

    • Fistulagram – dye is injected into the vein via catheter, and X-rays are taken. This procedure may reveal narrowing or blockages in patients that have been experiencing difficulties during their dialysis treatments.
    • Angioplasty – improves blood flow through dialysis access site by inserting and inflating a small balloon inside the blood vessel.
    • Stenting – similar to angioplasty, this procedure keeps blocked vessels open by inserting a small, mesh-like wire tube into the blood vessel.
    • Thrombectomy/embolization – the removal of a blood clot from a fistula or a graft.
  • Fairfield Medical Center’s dedicated Dialysis Access Coordinators are responsible for ensuring seamless referral experiences. They are the first line of contact for providers and patients, and can help schedule procedures, answer questions and coordinate care. As experienced dialysis nurses, they understand the unique needs of dialysis access patients, and are committed to helping you get the care and information you need, when you need it.

    To contact FMC’s Dialysis Access Coordinators, please call 740-689-4425.

Hear More About Our Team

It just felt so good to have someone listening and caring.
It just felt so good to have someone listening and caring.”

Julie Lindsey shares her experience with the Fairfield Medical Center Dialysis Care team.

"When patients come to us, they're coming to see someone who's on their side."
"When patients come to us, they're coming to see someone who's on their side."

Dialysis access coordinator Amber Murphy, LPN, is passionate about providing care and support to her patients.