Vascular Access Center (VAC) at Scarborough Surgery Center (SSC), in partnership with Maine Nephrology, offers vascular access services to dialysis patients in a state of the art ambulatory surgery center.

• The VAC at SSC is easy to navigate. Patients and visitors will benefit from our exemplary patient-centered family care and beautiful facility.
• Ample parking and convenient access allows patients to get in and out efficiently.
• Block time is conveniently available every Monday and Tuesday from 9:00-3:00 PM and Wednesday and Friday from 11:00-4:00 PM.
• Emergencies can be accommodated as needed on Thursdays.
• Centralize booking can be reached at (207) 662-2665 Monday - Friday from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM making it easy to book patient appointments. The direct line to the VAC is (207) 396-8200.

Instructions After Dialysis Catheter Insertion 

You may have received intravenous medicine that causes weakness and sleepiness. Rest and limit your activity for 24 hours. Have someone to help you at home. Do not drive, use machinery, or make any important decisions for 24 hours after taking pain medication.

• You may resume your previous diet and medications.
• Apply ice to site 20 minutes of every hour while awake.
• Do not lie flat. Sleep with head up on two pillows for 24 hours.
• May restart Coumadin: _______ (amount) @ _______ (time)
• May take 1-2 Tylenol tabs every 4-6 hours for discomfort.
• Make sure the catheter caps are in place and the clamps are closed.
• Try not to get the catheter dressing wet. It needs to be kept as dry as possible. Do not remove the dressing. If the catheter gets wet, call the Vascular Access Center. No showers or baths until cleared by the dialysis unit.
• Wear clothing to dialysis that allows the staff to easily change the catheter dressing. A shirt or blouse that buttons in the front is the best.
• Things to report to the Vascular Access Center or the Dialysis Unit: bleeding or drainage from the catheter site, pain or swelling around the site, fever or chills.
• Do NOT let anyone but the dialysis staff use the catheter.
  
  

Vascular Instructions after Fistulagram

You may have received intravenous medicine that causes weakness and sleepiness. Rest and limit your activity for 24 hours. Have someone to help you at home. Do not drive, use machinery, or make any important decisions for 24 hours or while taking pain medication.

• You may resume your previous diet, medications and activity.
• Sutures out in ______days at your dialysis center.
• If bleeding from your fistula should occur, apply pressure to the site and hold until the bleeding stops.
• If bleeding does not stop after 15 minutes, continue to apply pressure and call the Vascular Access Center or Maine Nephrology (if after hours).
• May restart your Coumadin : _______ (amount) @ _______ (time)
• Call the Vascular Access Center if you have fever, chills, pain, or redness over the fistula, or if your fingers or hand become cold, painful, or blue.
• May take Tylenol for pain: 1 or 2 tabs every 4-6 hours as needed for pain.
• Do NOT wear anything tight around the fistula arm, this includes clothing and jewelry.
• Do NOT hang purses or shopping bags from the fistula arm.
• Do NOT allow blood pressures to be taken on the fistula arm.
• Do NOT allow anyone except dialysis personnel to stick needles of any kind in the fistula arm.
• Feel for the thrill every day. The thrill is the vibration you feel over the fistula that means the blood is flowing through it. If you cannot feel the thrill, call the Vascular Access Center or the dialysis unit.