Patient Awareness Session – Second AV Fistula Care Workshop

📍 Oriana Hospital, Varanasi
📅 April 28, 2024
👥 100 Dialysis Patients
Led by: Dr. Himanshu Verma & the AVF Care Team (Fortis Gurugram)

If you’re a dialysis patient or about to start dialysis, this is exactly what you need to know.

The second AV Fistula Care Workshop was held at Oriana Hospital, Varanasi, as part of our ongoing patient education series. This full-day session, led by Dr. Himanshu Verma, Co-founder of AVF Care and Director – Vascular & Endovascular Surgery at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, focused on helping dialysis patients understand, monitor, and protect their AV access—their lifeline on dialysis.

One-on-One AV Access Review & Clinical Guidance

Each of the 63 attending patients received a free personal clinical examination by Dr. Verma, supported by the AVF Care Team from Fortis Gurugram.

AV fistulas and grafts were checked for flow, thrill, infection, or failure
Patients were given immediate guidance on their current AV access condition
Clinical notes were shared with patients for follow-up and planning

What Patients Learned

After the clinical assessments, a structured education session was conducted by Dr. Verma and his team.

Patients were educated on:

What is an AV fistula and why it is the preferred access for dialysis
When and why to get AVF created—ideally before starting dialysis
How to check the thrill (vibration) and identify signs of dysfunction
What symptoms to watch for: no thrill, swelling, bleeding, or pain
What practices to avoid: no BP, injections, tight clothing, or sleeping on the AV arm
When to escalate concerns and how to protect the access every day

Dr. Verma demonstrated stethoscope-based AVF checks, helping patients understand the importance of self-monitoring.

What Was Provided

All patients received:

A “No BP / No IV on this arm” wristband
Printed AVF care materials in easy, local language
One-on-one counseling with AVF Care Team

Free of cost services — no consultation or registration fees

Surgical Planning & Follow-up Outcomes

A total of 20 patients were identified by Dr. Verma as requiring AV access procedures.

14 patients were successfully operated at Oriana Hospital the same day
These included AVF creations, revisions, and AV graft procedures
The remaining patients were scheduled to visit Dr. Himanshu Verma in Gurgaon at Fortis for their planned elective procedures, due to time and imaging constraints on the workshop day

This real-time screening and decision-making helped avoid delays and ensured that all patients received a definitive care pathway

Patient Feedback

For many patients, this was the first time they were shown how to care for their AV access. They appreciated not just the knowledge but also the access to a specialized vascular surgeon and his team.

“This wasn’t just a class—it was a turning point. I now understand how to protect my lifeline.”
– A patient, post-workshop

Why This Matters

Workshops like these help patients take charge of their own care, avoid complications, and get timely treatment from expert vascular specialists. The combination of education + evaluation + treatment made this session a complete care experience.