V SASONGKO1, S MAY1
1Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital, Tamworth, NSW
Aim: To evaluate patient’s pain score during procedures performed by interventional nephrologists
Background: Renal biopsies, insertions of tunnelled CVAD, insertions of PD catheters and fistula angioplasties are interventions performed by interventional nephrologists. These procedures are known to carry risks such as bleeding, infection and puncture to other tissues. Little is known to how much pain these procedures actually cause
Methods: Patient’s pain level during renal interventions were scored using verbal numerical pain scale
Results: In our pilot data, a total of ten renal biopsies, seven tunnelled CVAD insertions, four PD catheter insertions and four fistula angioplasties were performed by interventional nephrologists and trainees in our centre between January and April 2017. The median age of the patients was 71 years. The mean pain scores were 1.7 (95% CI 1-2.4) in renal biopsies, 2.3 (95% CI 0.8-3.8) in CVAD insertions, 1 (range 0-2) in PD catheter insertions and 3.3 (range 0-8) in fistula angioplasties
Conclusions: There is a degree of pain associated with each renal intervention. Fistula angioplasties cause most pain, followed by tunnelled CVAD insertions, renal biopsies and PD catheter insertion. Recognition that pain is an important complication of procedures allows for this to be part of the consent process and for appropriate preventative measures