Permanent catheter

Permanent catheters are tunneled and have a subcutaneous fixation pad. This produces, in addition to fixation through fibrosis, a barrier against infections, preventing the migration of bacteria beyond the pad. These particular types of catheters can be effective for months, or even years. It is recommended that an indwelling catheter be placed in patients in whom hemidialysis (HD) is prolonged through a temporary catheter for more than 2 weeks.