What effect can reversing the lines on a vascular access treatment have?

Reversing the lines on a vascular access treatment can significantly lead to increased recirculation with decreased adequacy. When the lines are reversed, the direction of blood flow changes, causing a portion of the blood that has already been filtered to re-enter the patient without being adequately cleaned again. This recirculation can lower the overall effectiveness of the dialysis process, leading to insufficient removal of waste products and toxins from the blood, ultimately impacting the patient's treatment adequacy.

Maintaining proper flow direction is crucial for ensuring that the blood is effectively cleansed, which is the primary goal of dialysis therapy. Therefore, reversing the lines directly affects the efficiency of treatment, resulting in poorer patient outcomes if not corrected.