Dialysis line placement, also known as central venous catheter (CVC) insertion for dialysis, is a procedure that provides immediate vascular access for patients who need urgent or short-term haemodialysis. This is often used while waiting for a permanent access such as an arteriovenous (AV) fistula or graft to mature.

The catheter is placed into a large central vein, usually the internal jugular vein in the neck or occasionally the femoral vein in the groin. It consists of two channels—one to draw blood from the body to the dialysis machine, and another to return cleaned blood back to the body.