Routine preoperative venous and arterial mapping increases both, construction and maturation rate of upper arm autogenous arteriovenous fistulae.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that routine preoperative mapping and transposed brachial-basilic vein fistula (TBBVF) increases arteriovenous fistulae (AVFs) construction rates, without altering maturation rate. PATIENTS: Over a 4-year period, 709 vascular accesses were performed, including 467 AVFs (radial-cephalic fistula [RCF], n = 217, brachial-cephalic fistula [BCF], n = 139, TBBVF, n = 111) and 251 prosthetic grafts. During the last 2 years, preoperative mapping was performed routinely by means of ultrasound, and TBBVFs were preferentially used over arteriovenous grafts (AVGs). RESULTS: Over the study, construction rate of upper arm AVF increased significantly from 12% to 53% and use of prosthetic grafts decreased from 55% to 19% (P < .001). Maturation rate of RCFs, BCFs, and TBBVFs during the first part of the study was 75%, 50%, and 30% (P = .003), compared to 79%, 82%, and 86% (P = .43), respectively, during the second part. CONCLUSIONS: Routine preoperative upper extremity mapping with ultrasound increases not only AVF construction rate, but also their maturation likelihood.

A novel fluoroscopic-assisted balloon thrombectomy technique for thrombosed hemodialysis prosthetic grafts [corrected].

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that stenosis of the arterial anastomosis of thrombosed hemodialysis (HD) grafts, unmasked after conventional thrombectomy, very often necessitate subsequent arterial angioplasty. The aim of this study was to describe a novel fluoroscopic-assisted balloon thrombectomy technique which permits simultaneous arterial angioplasty (should this is required) for thrombosed HD grafts. METHODS: Thirty patients with 36 thrombotic episodes of their prosthetic HD grafts participated in this study. A balloon angioplasty catheter is placed beyond the arterial anastomosis, over a guidewire; the balloon is inflated with contrast solution under fluoroscopy and pulled back to remove the arterial thrombus from the anastomosis. Any coexisting stenosis revealed by balloon indentation is completely dilated at that time, rather than after the thrombectomy. Mechanical thrombolysis of the graft and venous outflow is then performed with the AngioJet catheter (Possis Medical, Inc). RESULTS: Technical and clinical success rates (the latter defined as one subsequent HD session) of the procedure were 100% and 94%, respectively. No complications, including arterial embolism, vessel rupture or pulmonary embolism, were encountered. Primary assisted patency at 3 and 6 months was 51% and 32%, respectively, while functional secondary patency at the same follow-up points was 78%. CONCLUSIONS: Our technique is safe and also effective in both short- and long-term follow-up. Because it offers convenience, since the treatment of arterial anastomotic stenoses is accomplished in one (rather than two) steps, this method deserves further investigation.

Equivalent secondary patency rates of upper extremity Vectra Vascular Access Grafts and transposed brachial-basilic fistulas with aggressive access surveillance and endovascular treatment.

OBJECTIVES: The 2006 update of the DOQI guidelines has stated that in patients with end-stage renal disease, autogenous radial-cephalic, or brachial-cephalic fistulas are the preferred access modalities, followed by transposed brachial-basilic (TBB) fistulas and prosthetic arteriovenous (AV) grafts. AV grafts are in general least preferred; however, there is very limited data comparing directly the last two modalities. The aim of the present study is to compare outcomes of the TBB fistula and the Vectra Vascular Access Graft. METHODS: Seventy-six patients had a prosthetic brachial-axillary Vectra graft placed, while in 41 patients brachial-basilic upper arm transposition was performed. Graft surveillance to detect a failing/failed access was followed by endovascular treatment, rheolytic thrombectomy (AngioJet, Possis Medical), and/or angioplasty +/- stenting of the responsible anatomical lesion(s). RESULTS: Use of Vectra grafts and TBB fistulas started after a median (interquartile range) of 14 (7-30) and 70 (52-102) days, respectively (P < .001), as early as the operative day in some patients with grafts. Postoperative complications were more frequent in TBB fistulas and late complications (mainly access thrombosis) in Vectra grafts. Total number of thrombectomy sessions performed for graft or fistula occlusion was 45 and 7, respectively (P = .032); total number of isolated angioplasty sessions, performed for failing graft or fistula was 31 and 45, respectively (P = .004). Although primary patency of the two access modalities was equivalent, primary assisted patency was significantly reduced in Vectra grafts (70% at 12 months and 58% at 18 months), compared with TBB fistulas (82% at 12 months and 78% at 18 months, P = .033); however, as a result of endovascular intervention, secondary patency rates at 12 months (87% vs 88%) and 18 months (87% vs 83%) were equivalent (P = .91). Presence of arterial anastomosis stenosis treated with angioplasty at any stage had a significant negative predictive value on secondary patency rates at 12 and 18 months which were 61%, compared with 96% for Vectra grafts that had any intra-graft, venous outflow, draining or central vein stenosis treated with angioplasty at any stage (P = .010). CONCLUSIONS: Aggressive graft surveillance and endovascular treatment methods can yield equivalent long-term secondary patency rates between Vectra graft and TBB fistulas. The advantage of earlier use of Vectra graft must be balanced against the need for more frequent secondary interventions and the risk of graft infection.