Survival of tunneled hemodialysis catheters after percutaneous placement.

BACKGROUND: Tunneled catheters are becoming increasingly used as a permanent dialysis access. Easy way of insertion and good long-term patency make them competitive to fistulas in some groups of patients. METHODS: Late complications and survival of 180 tunneled catheters inserted from June 2010 to December 2013 in 171 unselected hemodialysis patients were analyzed. RESULTS: The cumulative time of observation was 2103.5 patient-months and median observation was 9 months (range of 0.5-45 months). Only 19 out of 180 catheters were removed due to complications (12 for infections, 4 due to malfunction and 3 because of mechanical damage). Majority of catheters were removed electively: 27 after maturation of arterio-venous fistula (AVF), 4 after kidney transplant, 5 after transfer to peritoneal dialysis and 3 due to the recovery of renal function. At the end of the observation, 58 catheters were still in use and 64 patients had died with functioning catheter. When censored for elective catheter removal and patient death, 88.2% of catheters survived for 1 year. Catheter survival was significantly better in older patients (over 65 years, in comparison to patients < 65 years, p = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly 90% of all inserted catheters gave reliable dialysis access as long as it was needed. Among them, over 30% of the inserted catheters were in use at the end of the observation period, and over 30% of patients had died with a functioning catheter. The results of tunneled catheters survival are encouraging and they should be taken into consideration during decision-making on vascular access, especially in the older patients.

Catheter tip malposition after percutaneous placement of tunneled hemodialysis catheters.

The percutaneous catheterization of central veins is increasingly used in nephrological practice as a temporary or permanent vascular access. The aim of our study was to present and to analyze episodes of catheter tip malposition during percutaneous tunneled hemodialysis catheter insertion in the large, unselected group of patients. All patients who underwent the procedure of catheter insertion in our department during year 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. One hundred four tunneled hemodialysis catheters were inserted in 101 patients. In 58 patients, the catheter was inserted at the initiation of hemodialysis therapy as the first access and in 46 the catheter was placed because of the failure of the existing one. In 68 patients, the catheter was inserted into the right internal jugular vein and in 20 patients into the left internal jugular vein (LIJV). Subclavian veins were used in five cases and femoral veins in 11 cases. Malposition of the catheter tips occurred in six patients. In all cases, the LIJV was cannulated. In two cases, the catheter tip malposition was in the right innominate vein and in four cases in the azygos vein. Our data demonstrate that with the blind insertion of tunneled hemodialysis catheters, the risk of catheter tip malposition is significantly higher with the left side insertion. As catheter insertion through the LIJV holds very high (30%) risk of the tip malposition, it should always be performed under the fluoroscopic control.

Treatment of hypertension in chronic kidney disease patients under specialized care: one-center cross-sectional analyses.

AIM: The study analyzed hypertension management and control rates among non-dialysis, non-transplanted hypertensive chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients under specialized care in Gdansk nephrology center in 1996-2011. PATIENTS AND METHODS: It was a retrospective, cross-sectional study analyzing data from medical records of 190, 490, 1799 and 1696 subjects with CKD, who received outpatient care in 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011, and were included in four independent surveys, respectively. RESULTS: The average number of antihypertensive drugs per patient increased significantly (p < 0.01) as follows 1.74 ± 0.9 (1996), 2.08 ± 1.01 (2011), 2.5 ± 1.19 (2006) and 2.65 ± 1.18 (2011). The percentage of patients receiving diuretics, beta-blockers and drugs inhibiting renin-angiotensin-aldosterone increased significantly in subsequent years, while a frequency of therapy with calcium channel blockers decreased (p < 0.001). 16%, 30%, 42% and 54% of subjects had causal BP values < 140/90 mmHg (p < 0.001). When specific thresholds for CKD patients according to JNC recommendations were used, the control rate was worse but also showed significant improvement in the second, third and final surveys, i.e. 9%, 12%, 14% and 24% (p < 0.001). The subgroup analysis revealed that a better control rate was observed in following groups: < 65 years old; I-II stage of CKD; primary glomerulonephritis; without cardiovascular complications or diabetes. CONCLUSION: The study may show an improvement in the effectiveness of antihypertensive treatment in CKD patients under specialized care in Gdansk Nephrology Centre in 1996-2011.

Prolonged renal failure in the course of atypical ethylene glycol intoxication.

Ethylene glycol poisoning is not an uncommon cause of an acute renal injury. In this paper we present case of prolonged renal failure in the course of ethylene glycol intoxication. Due to the low dose of ingested ethylene glycol and concomitant ethanol consumption, the neurodepressive phase of the intoxication was rather mild and patient presented to the hospital on the ninth day after poisoning with established renal failure. The diagnosis of the specific cause of renal injury was facilitated by the renal biopsy.