Abstract: A vascular access device with arteriovenous fistula support includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion has a partial artery channel, a partial vessel channel, and a partial arteriovenous joint between the partial artery channel and the partial vessel channel, where the partial vessel channel has a vascular access aperture for exposing the vessel. The bottom portion has a corresponding partial artery channel, partial vessel channel, and partial arteriovenous joint between the partial artery channel and the partial vessel channel. When the top portion is coupled to the bottom portion, the two partial artery channels couple together to form an artery channel, the two partial vessel channels couple together to form a vessel channel, and the two partial arteriovenous joints couple together to form an arteriovenous joint for an arteriovenous fistula.

Abstract: An external needle guide can include a skin contact portion for attaching to skin of a patient and a needle guide portion for guiding a needle into a vessel of the patient. The external needle guide provides an accurate placement of a needle into the vessel (e.g., a good puncture), which reduces the failures of the vessel. Furthermore, because of the accurate placement of the needles and the ease of placement of the external needle guide, a patient and/or another person can insert the needles into the vessel with one hand. An external needle guide can also include an anchor portion that secures a needle to the external needle guide, preventing unwanted movement of the needle and damage to the vessel.