Question

A patient complains of pain at the venous needle site. The dialysis technician observes there is swelling distal to the venous needle site and that the venous pressure is rising. The dialysis technician should suspect

Answer 1

The patient with pain, swelling, and rising venous pressure at the dialysis needle site likely has a venous thrombosis. This is a blockage caused by a blood clot, which requires immediate medical attention and treatment to prevent further complications.

Step-by-step explanation:

The dialysis technician should suspect that the patient has developed a condition known as a venous thrombosis at the site of the dialysis needle. The symptoms of pain, swelling, and rising venous pressures near the venous site are indicative of a clot blocking the outbound flow of blood, which can cause blood to pool and lead to increased venous pressure and edema. Immediate action would be needed to address this potentially serious complication. The patient would likely be evaluated for confirmation of the blockage with diagnostic imaging and possibly be treated with anticoagulants or a change in the dialysis access site.