The HeRO is a new choice for hemodialysis access designed for patients with an access that is no longer working well because of blockages or damage to the major veins leading to the heart.

Failing hemodialysis access is a common problem, especially for patients who have been on dialysis for a number of years. The central veins to the heart can become damaged or blocked over time, causing fistulas and grafts to fail.

Until recently, the only option has been to place a tunneled hemodialysis catheter directly into the heart through a large vein in the neck. However, tunneled dialysis catheters were never meant to be long-term and have a number of disadvantages, including high infection rates and limited lifestyle.