WHY FIGHT FIBRIN SHEATH?

Thousands of dialysis patients depend on a catheter to stay alive.

MOMENTUM

Forty years. Still no answer. FFS!

Clinicians across the UK, US and Europe are signing the FFS pledge, and leading device manufacturers are already in dialogue with us about fixing it.

200+

SIGNATORIES AND COUNTING

Every clinical signatory pledges to raise fibrin sheath directly with their own device manufacturer.

UPDATES

24 SEPTEMBER 2026 | Dr Nicholas Inston presented keynote at VASBI ASM 2026

22 SEPTEMBER 2026 | FFS campaign covered by Clinical Services Journal (Press Release)

22 SEPTEMBER 2026 | Fight Fibrin Sheath (FFS) campaign launched

23 JUNE 2026 | Fighting Fibrin Sheath: Rethinking Dialysis Catheter Performance (webinar)

FFS Champions:

Vascular Access Society | European Kidney Patients Federation | Dialysis Catheter Collaborative | BioInteractions

FRUSTRATION

Fibrin sheath – an underrecognised pathology.

Fibrin sheath is a near-universal complication of dialysis catheters — a fibrocellular build-up that begins to form within hours of insertion in almost every patient. It causes catheters to fail and forces repeated clinical interventions. The problem has been documented for over forty years. It is time to act.

80-90%

of central venous catheters develop fibrin sheath within the first week of insertion.

52%

of vascular access clinicians across 37 countries identified fibrin sheath and thrombosis as the primary complication limiting catheter lifespan — ahead of infection (29%) and malposition (15%).

38%

confidence in current technology to prevent fibrin sheath — the lowest score of any complication tested.

Source: Inston et al., J Vasc Access, 2026

CHAMPIONING EVERY INNOVATION

Fibrin sheath won’t be solved by one technology. This campaign backs every credible line of attack, including:

Lock solutions

Coatings

Catheter tip & design geometry

Policy & procedures

HOW YOU CAN HELP?

FFS – a manifesto for better vascular access.

No dialysis patient should have their health outcomes shortened by a complication we understand at a molecular level but have failed to adequately address. The clinical community has the evidence, the expertise, and the moral authority to demand better technology. Manufacturers of vascular access devices bear a responsibility to invest in surface science that prevents — not merely manages — fibrin sheath. This is a solvable problem.

To clinicians: demand better performance data — ask manufacturers what they are doing about fibrin sheath.

To manufacturers: your own customers are raising this with you — invest in surface science that prevents fibrin sheath, and compete on outcomes.

To patients and advocates: share your story — your voice is part of the evidence.

To policymakers: commission the data, support the research, put this on the agenda.

Fight Fibrin Sheath. Sign the pledge.
Share your story. Demand better.

GET INVOLVED

‘We must revisit the underlying problems that make catheters bad. We cannot accept this… It is time for us to work together as scientists, clinicians, industry and patient groups to make things better.’

Dr Nick Inston PhD FRCS— Consultant Vascular Access and Kidney Transplant Surgeon, University Hospitals Birmingham; President-Elect, Vascular Access Society; lead author, J Vasc Access, 2026

DO YOUR BIT

Sign the pledge

‘I support the Fight Fibrin Sheath campaign’s call for urgent investment in fibrin sheath prevention through innovative solutions, and pledge to scrutinise existing evidence, challenge new and emerging data on fibrin sheath formation, and raise the profile of this important patient issue through dialogue with peers, other clinicians and the industry.’

EVIDENCE & PRESS

Evidence and resources for journalists.

Fight Fibrin Sheath is an independent international clinical campaign, catalysed by the first peer-reviewed international study of clinician attitudes to catheter complications (Inston et al., J Vasc Access, 2026). The full evidence base and press materials are available here.

This campaign is also aggregating clinical demand for catheter innovation — a signal any manufacturer ready to act can see.

For interview requests and media enquiries: media@fightfibrinsheath.com