Treatments

Dialysis access maintenance.

Fistulograms, angioplasty, and declot procedures to keep your access working — performed in our Pompano Beach office, often the same day a problem is detected.

Overview

The work that keeps dialysis going

Even the best fistulas and grafts need maintenance. The mechanical stress of three-times-a-week cannulation, the natural tendency of veins to narrow at high-flow connections, and the pressure changes inside the access all contribute to slow narrowing over time. The goal of maintenance is simple: catch and correct those narrowings before they cause access failure.

Access maintenance is one of the procedures interventional nephrologists do most often — and it's where Dr. Anton's training is most distinctive.

Most access problems can be solved in under an hour in the office, with no general anesthesia and no missed dialysis treatments.

What we do

The maintenance toolkit

01
Surveillance
We monitor your access at regular intervals — typically every 3 months — with duplex ultrasound. The goal is to catch narrowings while they're easy to correct.
02
Fistulogram
If a problem is suspected, a fistulogram (a contrast-dye X-ray of the access) maps it precisely. This is a same-day office procedure under local anesthesia.
03
Angioplasty
Narrowings are opened with balloon angioplasty during the same visit. The vein wall is stretched to restore flow without an incision.
04
Declot (when needed)
If the access has already clotted, Dr. Anton can often declot it in the office using mechanical and pharmacological techniques, restoring same-day dialysis capacity.
05
Coordination with dialysis team
We communicate findings and recommendations directly to your dialysis unit so cannulation patterns adjust to protect the access long-term.
Why Dr. Anton

One of the few local specialists for this work

There are not many interventional nephrologists in South Florida — and few practices set up to handle access maintenance as part of routine care. Florida Vascular Care is built around that need. Our office in Pompano Beach is blocks away from multiple dialysis units, and we coordinate directly with dialysis teams to make sure problems get addressed before they interrupt treatment.

If your dialysis team flagged that your access "needs to be checked" — that's exactly what we do. Same-day appointments are usually available. Call us before a small problem becomes a catheter.
What to expect

A single afternoon, dialysis tomorrow

Most maintenance procedures take 45–90 minutes in the office under local anesthesia. You stay awake, comfortable, and can talk with the team during the procedure. The puncture site heals on its own under a small bandage.

Patients typically dialyze on schedule the next day. The small bruising at the access fades over a week. We schedule follow-up ultrasound surveillance to make sure the result is holding and to plan the next steps if needed.

Ready to get
answers?
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Anton and find out which treatment is right for you.
Request Appointment
(561) 408-0304
Medicare & most insurance accepted
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