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2026 Symposium

The Vascular Access Society of the Americas invites you to participate as an exhibitor at the 2026 Vascular Access for Hemodialysis Symposium, May 20-22, 2026 at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

This Symposium is designed for all transplant, vascular and general surgeons, nephrologists, interventional radiologists and nephrologists, nurses and allied health professionals who are interested in the management of vascular access. The VASA Symposium is an excellent opportunity for your company to showcase its products and services to a multidisciplinary audience committed to advancing dialysis patient care.

The Program Committee is busy planning an excellent scientific meeting that will include:

  • State-of-the-art lectures covering all major areas in dialysis access
  • Diverse multi-disciplinary faculty including prominent international
  • speakers representing Europe, Asia, Canada, South America, & Japan
  • 40 scientific abstract presentations
  • Vascular access nursing and allied health
  • New devices and technologies
  • Video presentations

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2026

07:00 AM - 08:00 AM

Breakfast

ALLIED HEALTH SESSIONS

08:00 AM - 08:05 AM

Welcome

08:05 AM - 08:20 AM

ESKD Life Plan and Access Plan

08:20 AM - 08:50 AM

AV Access Creation, HD Catheter and PD Placement

08:50 AM - 09:35 AM

Patient Models at Stations: 1-min Check with Patients, Physical Exams

09:35 AM - 09:55 AM

Break

09:55 AM - 10:25 AM

VASA Toolkit for Show & Tell

10:25 AM - 10:55 AM

Cannulation Stations

10:55 AM - 11:10 AM

Open Topics to Fill with ANNA Local Chapter Input

11:10 AM - 11:25 AM

TBD

11:25 AM - 11:40 AM

TBD

11:40 AM - 11:55 AM

TBD

11:55 AM - 12:55 PM

Lunch

12:55 PM - 01:20 PM

The Holland Keynote Lecture: USRDS Statement

01:20 PM - 01:32 PM

Fresenius or Davita: A Response

01:32 PM - 01:44 PM

How can we get Nephrologists to Refer Patients for Access Earlier?

01:44 PM - 01:56 PM

Artificial Intelligence will Save the Day (or Not)

01:56 PM - 02:08 PM

IPRO: IS CMS Oversight Effective?

CANNULATION SESSIONS

02:08 PM - 02:16 PM

Plastic Cannulas for HD Cannulation

02:16 PM - 02:24 PM

Eradicating Area Cannulation

02:24 PM - 02:32 PM

Dead Space Between Dialysis Needles

02:32 PM - 02:40 PM

Covered Stent Grafts in Cannulation Segment

02:40 PM - 02:48 PM

Image Guided Access Cannulation

02:48 PM - 02:56 PM

Buttonhole Cannulation

02:56 PM - 03:04 PM

Self Cannulation

03:04 PM - 03:09 PM

Optimal Cannulation Principles: South America

03:09 PM - 03:14 PM

Optimal Cannulation Principles: Europe

03:14 PM - 03:19 PM

Optimal Cannulation Principles: Asia

03:19 PM - 03:39 PM

Break

ACCESS PARADIGM SESSIONS

03:39 PM - 03:51 PM

Not a One-and-Done: Role of Surgeons in Longitudinal Access Surveillance and Maintenance

03:51 PM - 04:03 PM

Centralization of HD Access Care to Specialized Centers

04:03 PM - 04:23 PM

DEBATE: OBL Vascular Access Centers vs Hospitals: The Good and the Bad

04:23 PM - 04:35 PM

Shared Decision Making - How?

04:35 PM - 04:55 PM

Keynote Lecture

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

07:00 AM - 08:00 AM

Breakfast

08:00 AM - 08:05 AM

Opening Remarks

08:05 AM - 08:25 AM

VASA Presidential Address

AUTOGENOUS AV FISTULA SESSIONS

08:25 AM - 08:37 AM

Vein Mapping: Ultrasound vs Venography

08:37 AM - 08:49 AM

Which AVF is Best?

08:49 AM - 09:01 AM

Criteria and Predictors for Maturation

09:01 AM - 09:13 AM

The Immature AVF: Methods to Induce Maturation

09:13 AM - 09:25 AM

Endo AVF's - The Current Evidence and Role

09:25 AM - 09:45 AM

Debate: EndoAVF is Done vs Surgical Access Deserts

09:45 AM - 10:05 AM

Break

AV GRAFT SESSIONS

10:05 AM - 10:17 AM

AV Graft Materials and Configurations

10:17 AM - 10:29 AM

HeRO Graft - Pros and Cons

10:29 AM - 10:35 AM

M&M Case

10:35 AM - 10:41 AM

M&M Case

MANAGEMENT OF ACCESS COMPLICATIONS

10:41 AM - 10:53 AM

Management of HAIDI: Which Therapy in Which Stage?

10:53 AM - 11:05 AM

Preventing HAIDI (Hemodialysis Access Induced Distal Ischemia)

11:05 AM - 11:25 AM

Break

11:25 AM - 11:37 AM

High Flow Access Management: Surgical

11:37 AM - 11:49 AM

High Flow Access Management: Endovascular

11:49 AM - 12:01 PM

Surgical and Endovascular Managemet of Aneurysms in AVF's

12:01 PM - 12:13 PM

AV graft pseudoaneurysms treatment options

12:13 PM - 12:43 PM

The Henry Keynote Lecture

12:43 PM - 01:43 PM

Lunch

AV ACCESS MAINTENANCE

01:43 PM - 01:55 PM

Access Surveillance - Optimal Methods

01:55 PM - 02:07 PM

Biology of Intimal Hyperplasia and Strategies for Prevention

02:07 PM - 02:19 PM

Covered Stents at the Venous Anastomosis: First Line or Last Line?

02:19 PM - 02:31 PM

Drug-Coated Balloons - Most Recent Data

02:31 PM - 02:43 PM

Central Venous Stenosis - When to Treat and How?

02:43 PM - 02:55 PM

Bare and Covered Stents for Central Veins: What to Use?

02:55 PM - 03:15 PM

Debate: Venous Anastomosis Stenosis: POBA, DCB, Stent, Stent Graft, Revise?

03:15 PM - 03:35 PM

Break

03:35 PM - 03:47 PM

Stent Venous Anastomosis - Consult with Vascular Surgeon or Just Do It?

03:47 PM - 03:59 PM

Stent vs HeRO for Arm Swelling Due to Central Stenosis

03:59 PM - 04:05 PM

Declotting AV Grafts: How I Do It (Vascular Surgeon)

04:05 PM - 04:11 PM

Declotting AV Grafts: How I Do It (Interventional Nephrologist)

04:11 PM - 04:17 PM

Declotting AV Grafts: How I Do It (Interventional Radiologist)

04:17 PM - 04:29 PM

Impact of Hypotension on AV Access

04:29 PM - 04:41 PM

Post Transplant Access Management: Keep or Ligate?

NEW TECHNOLOGY

04:41 PM - 04:47 PM

New tech 1

04:47 PM - 04:53 PM

New tech 2

04:53 PM - 04:59 PM

New tech 3

04:59 PM - 05:05 PM

New tech 4

05:05 PM - 05:11 PM

New tech 5

05:11 PM - 05:17 PM

New tech 6

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2026

07:00 AM - 08:00 AM

Breakfast

PERITONEAL DIALYSIS

08:00 AM - 08:12 AM

Patient Considerations for PD: Pros and Cons vs HD

08:12 AM - 08:18 AM

How I Do It : PD Catheter Insertion (Surgery)

08:18 AM - 08:24 AM

How I Do It : PD Catheter Insertion (Interventional Nephrology)

08:24 AM - 08:30 AM

How I Do It : PD Catheter Insertion (Interventional Radiology)

08:30 AM - 08:50 AM

Debate: What is the Best PD Catheter Insertion Method and Who Does it the Best?

08:50 AM - 09:02 AM

Management of PD Catheter Dysfunction

09:02 AM - 09:22 AM

Debate: Fistula First or PD Catheter First?

09:22 AM - 09:42 AM

Break

HEMODIALYSIS CVC's

09:42 AM - 09:54 AM

Femoral TDC's: Always Bad?

09:54 AM - 10:06 AM

When the IJ's are Gone: Where to Go?

10:06 AM - 10:18 AM

Catheter Locks, Dressings, and Coatings: What Works?

10:18 AM - 10:30 AM

Avoiding IV's and PICC Lines in CKD Patients: HOW??

MISC AV ACCESS TOPICS

10:30 AM - 10:42 AM

Myth or Reality: Axillary Lymph Node Dissections - Impactful on Access?

10:42 AM - 10:54 AM

Nerve Blocks for Access Creation and Maintenance

10:54 AM - 11:06 AM

Blood Pump Speed and Fistula/Graft Survival

11:06 AM - 11:18 AM

Novel Ways to Predict AV Success

11:18 AM - 11:30 AM

Frailty and Multi-Morbidity

11:30 AM - 11:42 AM

ESKD Life Plan and Access Plan

11:42 AM - 11:54 AM

Access for Morbid Obesity

11:54 AM - 12:06 PM

Flow Volume Measurements

12:06 PM - 12:18 PM

TBD

12:18 PM - 12:30 PM

TBD

12:30 PM - 01:30 PM

Lunch

01:30 PM - 02:45 PM

International Forum

02:45 PM - 03:00 PM

Break

TOP ABSTRACTS

03:00 PM - 03:08 PM

Abstract 1

03:08 PM - 03:16 PM

Abstract 2

03:16 PM - 03:24 PM

Abstract 3

03:24 PM - 03:32 PM

Abstract 4

03:32 PM - 03:40 PM

Abstract 5

03:40 PM - 03:45 PM

Closing Remarks