Emergency department evaluation and management of dialysis patient complications

Risk assessment of failure during transitioning from in-centre to home haemodialysis

BACKGROUND

Introducing a de-novo home haemodialysis (HHD) program often raises safety concerns as errors could potentially lead to serious adverse events. Despite the complexity of performing haemodialysis at home without the supervision of healthcare staff, HHD has a good safety record. We aim to pre-emptively identify and reduce the risks to our new HHD program by risk assessment and using failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) to identify potential defects in the design and planning of HHD.

METHODS

We performed a general risk assessment of failure during transitioning from in-centre to HHD with a failure mode and effects analysis focused on the highest areas of failure. We collaborated with key team members from a well-established HHD program and one HHD patient. Risk assessment was conducted separately and then through video conference meetings for joint deliberation. We listed all key processes, sub-processes, step and then identified failure mode by scoring based on risk priority numbers. Solutions were then designed to eliminate and mitigate risk.

RESULTS

Transitioning to HHD was found to have the highest risk of failure with 3 main processes and 34 steps. We identified a total of 59 areas with potential failures. The median and mean risk priority number (RPN) scores from failure mode effect analysis were 5 and 38, with the highest RPN related to vascular access at 256. As many failure modes with high RPN scores were related to vascular access, we focussed on FMEA by identifying the risk mitigation strategies and possible solutions in all 9 areas in access-related medical emergencies in a bundled- approach. We discussed, the risk reduction areas of setting up HHD and how to address incidents that occurred and those not preventable.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a safety framework for a de-novo HHD program by performing FMEA in high-risk areas. The involvement of two teams with different clinical experience for HHD allowed us to successfully pre-emptively identify risks and develop solutions.

Emergency medicine evaluation and management of the end stage renal disease patient

BACKGROUND

End stage renal disease (ESRD) is increasing in the U.S., and these patients demonstrate greater all-cause mortality, cardiovascular events, and hospitalization rates when compared to those with normal renal function. These patients may experience significant complications associated with loss of renal function and dialysis.

OBJECTIVE

This review evaluates complications of ESRD including cardiopulmonary, neurologic, infectious disease, vascular, and access site complications, as well as medication use in this population.

DISCUSSION

ESRD incidence is rapidly increasing, and patients commonly require renal replacement therapy including hemodialysis (HDS) or peritoneal dialysis (PD), each type with specific features. These patients possess greater risk of neurologic complications, cardiopulmonary pathology, infection, and access site complications. Focused history and physical examination are essential. Neurologic issues include uremic encephalopathy, cerebrovascular pathology, and several others. Cardiopulmonary complications include pericarditis, pericardial effusion/tamponade, acute coronary syndrome, sudden cardiac death, electrolyte abnormalities, pulmonary edema, and air embolism. Infections are common, with patients more commonly presenting in atypical fashion. Access site infections and metastatic infections must be treated aggressively. Access site complications include bleeding, aneurysm/pseudoaneurysm, thrombosis/stenosis, and arterial steal syndrome. Specific medication considerations are required for analgesics, sedatives, neuromuscular blocking agents, antimicrobials, and anticoagulants.

CONCLUSIONS

Consideration of renal physiology with complications in ESRD can assist emergency providers in the evaluation and management of these patients. ESRD affects many organ systems, and specific pharmacologic considerations are required.

Vascular Access Complications: An Emergency Medicine Approach

Millions of central venous and arterial catheters are placed across the United States annually as mechanisms of obtaining advanced hemodynamic monitoring and facilitating acute resuscitation. Although presumably life saving or sustaining in many circumstances, current literature identifies the preprocedural and postprocedural complications of infection, thrombosis, embolism, and iatrogenic injury as resulting in patient morbidity and mortality. Today, through the application of aseptic technique, performance of operator training, and the utilization of ultrasound, emergency physicians may limit vascular access complications and improve patient outcomes.

A Case of Brachiocephalic Fistula Steal and the Emergency Physician's Approach to Hemodialysis Arteriovenous Fistula Complications

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease is common in the United States, with many patients maintained on hemodialysis (HD). The process of HD requires vascular access through an arteriovenous (AV) fistula, AV graft, or central venous catheter. Today, as a result of the National Kidney Foundation's "Fistula First" initiative, nearly 55% of HD patients utilize an AV fistula. As there is significant morbidity and mortality associated with fistula placement and recurrent fistula cannulation, emergency physicians must be equipped to recognize and treat fistula complications.

OBJECTIVE

To detail a case study of vascular insufficiency (vascular steal) presenting to an emergency department (ED) and provide an evidence-based approach to the emergency assessment and management of HD AV fistula complications.

DISCUSSION

A 66-year-old man presented to the ED with left upper extremity pain, paresthesias, and loss of grip strength of 1-week duration 15 days after placement of left upper extremity brachiocephalic fistula. He was diagnosed with dialysis access-associated steal syndrome and taken to the operating room for revision. Patients with HD fistulas may experience several complications, including vascular insufficiency, hemorrhage, infection, stenosis, thrombosis, aneurysms, or pseudoaneurysms. Emergency physicians must be able to identify these complications and deliver timely treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

A comprehensive understanding of the appropriate management of AV fistula complications is paramount for the emergency physician. Early recognition and treatment of vascular insufficiency resulting from fistula creation, fistula hemorrhage, fistula infection, stenosis, thrombosis, and aneurysms or pseudoaneurysms is vital to reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with HD.

Treatment of life-threatening hyperkalemia with peritoneal dialysis in the ED

Severe hyperkalemia (serum potassium N 7.0 mmol/L) is an uncommon electrolyte abnormality in patients undergoing maintenance peritoneal dialysis (PD). Hemodialysis (HD) has been suggested as the definitive therapy for severe hyperkalemia in this population,although there is limited data regarding renal replacement options.We report a case of life-threatening hyperkalemia with electrocardiogram changes in a nonadherent PD patient who was successfully treated with standard medical therapy and manual exchanges initiated by emergency department (ED) personnel. The patient did not require HD. This case demonstrates the potential utility of PD as a treatment option for severe hyperkalemia in established dialysis patients when EDs are prepared to deliver exchanges. This report maybe particularly relevant due to the increasing prevalence rate of PD and for centers with limited HD access.

ED hemodialysis for treatment of renal failure emergencies

Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) are at risk for unique medical emergencies, many of which require hemodialysis for their definitive treatment. This study describes the use of emergency department (ED) hemodialysis in the management of CRF patients. A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients who underwent ED hemodialysis at a regional dialysis center between April 1994 and September 1996. Data were collected on presenting complaint, ED diagnosis, indication for hemodialysis, ED pharmacologic treatment, ED airway management, cardiovascular stability, and disposition. Fifty episodes of ED hemodialysis were identified in 37 different patients. Presenting complaints included: shortness of breath, 38 (69%); weakness, 8 (15%); chest pain, 3 (5%); and other, 6 (11%). ED diagnoses included: congestive heart failure, 36 (65%); hyperkalemia, 13 (24%); and other, 6 (11%). Indications for hemodialysis included: cardiovascular instability, 33 (38%); respiratory distress, 22 (26%); cardiac monitoring, 16 (19%), timing, 13 (15%); and other, 2 (2%). Predialysis stabilization included: nitroglycerin, 29 (26%); sublingual captopril, 17 (15%); calcium chloride, 13 (11%); sodium bicarbonate, 12 (11%); insulin/dextrose, 11 (10%); none, 12 (11%); and other, 18 (16%). Airway support included: noninvasive pressure support ventilation (NPSV), 9 (18%); and endotracheal intubation, 6 (12%). NPSV was provided with a bilevel positive airway pressure system. Three of the endotracheal intubation patients were weaned to NPSV during dialysis, and all NPSV patients were weaned from respiratory support during their hemodialysis in the ED. Some patients had more than one problem. Sixteen patients (32%) were admitted, while 34 (68%) were discharged, including 3 NPSV patients and 22 initially unstable patients. ED hemodialysis in conjunction with additional medical care is a useful emergency medicine technique that can prevent hospital admission in patients with acute renal emergencies.

ED management of acute congestive heart failure in renal dialysis patients

This is a descriptive report of the management techniques used effectively in the emergency department (ED) treatment of acute congestive heart failure (CHF) in renal dialysis patients. Study design included a prospective case series of consecutive renal dialysis patients who presented to the ED of a regional dialysis center in acute CHF. Clinical presentation, ED management, and outcome were recorded. Forty-six patients (38 hemodialysis and 8 peritoneal dialysis) were included in this study. Presentation classifications for these patients were minimal distress (13 patients), moderate distress (16 patients), and severe distress (17 patients). In addition to supplemental oxygen, treatment focused on pharmacological preload and afterload reduction. Patients received sublingual nitroglycerin (NTG) (30 patients), transdermal NTG (36 patients), captopril sublingual (10 patients) nifedipine oral (nine patients), nitroprusside (four patients), morphine sulfate (one patient), NTG infusion (one patient), and clonidine (one patient). There were no deaths in the study group, and 32 of the patients were able to be dialyzed and discharged, including seven patients in the severe group. Six patients required intubation, one of whom was extubated and discharged from the ED after dialysis. Intravascular access was obtained in 29 patients but was used in only six. All patients on nitroprusside drips were weaned during the course of their dialysis. Effective ED management of acute CHF in renal dialysis patients can be accomplished through preload reduction with nitrates and afterload reduction with captopril, nifedipine, and, in severe cases, nitroprusside.