Chandigarh, Aug. 27 -- The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has introduced a high-flow bending technique to treat excessive blood flow in vein among dialysis patients. This innovative treatment has significantly reduced costs, bringing them down from Rs.50,000 to just Rs.5,000. PGIMER officials highlighted that kidney failure patients typically undergo one of two types of dialysis: hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis, the more commonly chosen option, involves filtering the blood outside the body using a hemodialysis machine. To facilitate this process, a surgical connection called an arteriovenous fistula is created between an artery and a vein, usually in the arm. In this procedure, unfiltered blood flows from the artery into the connected vein, from where it is drawn out and sent to the dialysis machine for filtration. After purification, the cleaned blood is returned to the vein, which then carries it back to the heart to be circulated throughout the body. These fistulae are crucial for effective and efficient hemodialysis treatment. While undergoing treatment, the dialysis patients often face the complication of enlarged veins caused by excessive blood flow from the artery, a condition known as high-flow arteriovenous fistula (AVF). Dr Manish Rathi explained that this excessive blood flow puts extra pressure on the vein, which can lead to serious complications such as heart failure. The increased pressure can cause the vein walls to thin or even burst, resulting in inadequate dialysis and increased health risks. Symptoms of high-flow AVF include difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, and visible enlargement of veins in the arm. Until now, managing high-flow fistulae involved complex procedures like angiography, hospitalisation, and the use of costly equipment such as catheterisation labs, with treatment expenses reaching up to Rs.50,000. This often placed a significant financial strain on patients and healthcare providers. However, the introduction of the high-flow bending technique has reduced treatment costs to Rs.5,000, making this crucial intervention more affordable and accessible to a wider range of patients. A team at PGIMER, led by Dr Manish Rathi from the department of nephrology and supported by Dr Ajay Salwania from the department of general surgery, has been successfully using an effective banding technique developed in the USA to treat high-flow arteriovenous fistulae. This minimally invasive procedure, which does not require advanced imaging or hospitalisation, has been performed on 40 patients over the past three years. Dr Rathi noted that this technique is rarely used in India."The entire procedure costs around Rs.5,000, a significant reduction compared to the Rs.50,000 typically required for traditional treatments. As a day-care procedure, it eliminates the need for angiography or catheterisation labs, reducing risks and shortening recovery time," Dr Rathi added....