From Venous to Arterial Blood in the Same Tunneled Dialysis Catheter After Starting a Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: A Case Report.

Tunneled dialysis catheter is the alternative for dialysis patients who cannot benefit from an arteriovenous fistula. The insertion of such catheters is usually ultrasound-guided to prevent complications. A 36-year old patient had an unexpected complication following the insertion of a right femoral tunneled dialysis catheter: Although the blood collected from the catheter was venous after insertion, the blood turned arterial few minutes after initiating a continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). It became venous again after stopping the therapy. The first, yet unlikely hypothesis, was an arterial location of the catheter. In fact, it turned out not to be. We describe the management of such a case.