Kenneth Appell Speaks at the Vascular Access Society of the Americas, November 2007

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Images of Dr. Appell at the New York City meeting of the Vascular Access Society of the Americas at the Veith Symposium on November 14, 2007. He was invited to give an address describing the circumstances surrounding his historic development of the AV fistula.

Hemodialysis Before Kenneth Appell Invented the AV Fistula

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These photos taken in 1964-65 at the Bronx VA Hospital's dialysis unit show the Kolff artificial kidney (invented in the early 1940's by Willem Kolff in the Netherlands -- interestingly, during the Nazi occupation of that country) used with the Scribner external shunt (developed by University of Washington faculty member Belding Scribner in 1960).

Kenneth Appell's Commendation from the Vascular Access Society of the Americas for Inventing the AV Fistula

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When Dr. Appell spoke at the New York City meeting of the Vascular Access Society of the Americas at the Veith Symposium on November 14, 2007, he was presented with a plaque signed by president A. Frederick Schild, M.D. and second vice president Larry A. Scher, M.D. It stated: "Honorary Membership is bestowed upon Kenneth C. Appell, M.D. for his pioneering efforts and landmark development as the surgeon who performed the first arteriovenous fistula for hemodialysis access over forty years ago. His contributions have immeasurably benefitted countless patients undergoing treatment for end-stage renal disease."

Kenneth Appell, AV Fistula Inventor, With Bronx VA Colleagues

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Kenneth C. Appell, the surgeon who invented the arteriovenous fistula, flanked by James Cimino, head of the Bronx VA Hospital's nephrology department, and dialysis team member Michael Brescia, in 1967.

AV Fistula Drawing, 1966

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Artist's rendering of Kenneth Appell's AV fistula, dated July 18, 1966.

AV fistula close-up, Bronx VA 1965

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A photo of one of the first AV fistulas ever performed, by Kenneth Appell at the Bronx Veterans Administration Hospital on March 26, 1965.

Arranging to Meet Dr. Polo

.On vacation in November 2004 in the Asturian town of Cangas de Onís in northern Spain, Dr. Appell (pictured here by the old Roman Bridge with wife Marcy and son David), arranges to meet Dr. Polo in Madrid the next day.

Dr. Appell meets Dr. Polo

Dr. Appell and wife Marcy finally meet Dr. José Ramón Polo and his wife MariLuz at Madrid's famous Lhardy restaurant in November 2004. After hearing Dr. Appell's story at a conference in Phoenix in 1988, Dr. Polo embarked on the mission of revindicating his place in history as the inventor of the AV Fistula. It would take him 16 years to track Dr. Appell down.