Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT) Practice Exam 2025 - Free CCHT Practice Questions and Study Guide

Infection at the dialysis access site often presents with specific local signs and symptoms. Increased warmth, redness, swelling, and discharge are classic indicators of inflammation and infection. When the body detects the presence of pathogens, the inflammatory response is activated, leading to vasodilation, which causes increased warmth and redness. The swelling occurs due to the accumulation of fluid and immune cells in the area, while discharge may include pus as the body responds to the infection. Recognizing these local signs is critical for timely intervention to prevent severe complications.

While decreased blood flow and discoloration can indicate issues related to the access itself, such as thrombosis or stenosis, they are not specific indicators of infection. Pain at the site may occur due to various causes, including infection, but pain alone does not provide a comprehensive picture of an infection. Fever and chills can suggest a systemic response to infection but do not directly indicate issues at the localized site of the dialysis access. Thus, the local signs and symptoms best associated with infection at the access site are increased warmth, redness, swelling, and discharge.