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The aim of the present study was to compare the results between percutaneous arteriovenous fistulas (p-AVFs) created with the Ellipsys device (Ellipsys Vascular Access System; Avenu Medical, San Juan Capistrano, Calif) and surgical arteriovenous fistulas (s-AVFs).A single-center retrospective comparative study of the first 107 patients who had undergone p-AVF creation with the Ellipsys system from May 2017 to May 2018 with an equal number of consecutive patients who had undergone s-AVF creation in our center during the same period. The primary endpoints included the maturation and patency rates. The secondary endpoints were reintervention, risk of infection, and the incidence of steal syndrome and aneurysm formation.The demographic, hypertension, and diabetes data were similar for both groups. The only difference between the two groups was that more p-AVF patients had already been receiving hemodialysis (61% vs 47%; P .05). The p-AVFs showed superior maturation rates at 6 weeks (65% vs 50%; P = .01). The primary patency rates were greater for the s-AVFs at 12 months (86% vs 61%; P .01). However, primary patency was comparable between the two groups at 24 months (52% vs 55%; P = .48). No significant difference was found in the secondary patency rates at 12 (90% vs 91%) and 24 (88% vs 91%) months. At the 2-year follow-up point, the rate of percutaneous reintervention was similar; however, the s-AVFs had required more frequent surgical revision (36% vs 17%; P = .01). Issues with wound healing and infection were also more frequent with s-AVFs (9% vs 0.9%; P .01).Fistulas created percutaneously with the Ellipsys system showed superior maturation rates and similar patency with s-AVFs created in an experienced high-volume vascular surgery practice. p-AVFs had a lower risk of wound healing issues, infection, and surgical revision. Larger, prospective, randomized multicenter studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Tertiary centers recruit a number of locally advanced or recurrent soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) that require large tissue loss including vessels. Arterial reconstruction (AR) in the context of patients with cancer who may receive radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CT) is challenging.This retrospective single centre cohort study includes patients affected by extremities or trunk STS who underwent an AR during sarcoma resection, between October 2015 to February 2021 at Institut Curie. The endpoints of this study were to analyze the morbidity, the patency and the impact on surgical margins of such association.Of 976 patients operated, 21 (2.15%) had AR. Seventeen (81%) had ASA scores ≥ 2. Locations were: intra-abdominal n= 9 (43%), lower limb n=8 (38%), upper limb n=3 (14%) and cervical n=1 (5%). N= 11 (52.3%) and n= 5 (23.8%) received RT or were operated on a pre-irradiated field, respectively. N=7 (34%) patients received CT. Vein graft was used in n=12 (57%). Musculo-cutaneous flaps were associated in n=13 (62%) patients. Margins of resection were R0 n=19 (90.4%), R1 n=2, R2 n=0. Median follow-up was 16 months [6-44]. No post-operative death occurred. Two patients died of metastasis. At 1, 6, 12 and 24 months the primary patency was 80.9%, 71.4%, 87.5% and 88.9%, respectively. Seven patients (33%) presented perioperative infection. Reoperation rate at 1, 6 and 12 months were 38%, 14% and 5% respectively. Ten patients (48%) presented persistent lymphoedema during follow-up.AR enlarges the possibilities of STS excision with healthy margins and achieves good patency. Majority of patients were ASA ≥ 2 and received adjuvant treatments. In this particular context, morbidity is high and requires an upfront multidisciplinary management taking into account all these specific issues.

Objective The aim of this study was to report our midterm results of percutaneous arteriovenous fistula (pAVF) creation using the Ellipsys (Avenu Medical, San Juan Capistrano, Calif) device and to present technical recommendations and our algorithm of pAVF maintenance. Methods A single-center comprehensive database of all consecutive predialysis and end-stage renal disease patients who had a pAVF creation with the Ellipsys device was reviewed retrospectively. Study end points included technical success, maturation, functional patency, and required interventions. Results Between May 2017 and July 2019, there were 234 patients (mean age, 64 years; 148 male [63%]) who had a pAVF created. Technical success was achieved in 232 individuals (99%), and average duration of the procedure was 15 minutes (7-35 minutes). Average follow-up was 252 days (range, 83-696 days). The 1-year primary, primary assisted, and secondary patency rates were 54%, 85%, and 96%, respectively. Average pAVF flow was 923 mL/min (range, 425-1440 mL/min). There were no significant adverse events related to the procedure. Only three patients (1%) required a later conversion of the pAVF anastomosis to a surgical fistula. Twenty-four (10%) patients required superficialization of deep outflow veins because of difficult cannulation. Average maturation time was 4 weeks (range, 1-12 weeks). Fourteen patients (6%) had early ( Conclusions The Ellipsys pAVF device allows the rapid and safe creation of a reliable autogenous access. Rates of technical success, patency, and maturation were excellent. For patients unsuited for a distal radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula, it should be considered the next preferred access option.

Introduction Tertiary centers recruit a large proportion of locally advanced or recurrent soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) that may have been preoperatively irradiated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the results of oncoplastic surgery (OPS) for patients affected by extremities or parietal trunk STS. Materials and methods This retrospective study includes patients who underwent a flap reconstruction after sarcoma resection between January 2018 and December 2020 at Institut Curie. The primary endpoint was the evaluation of the impact of OPS on the quality of surgical margins. The secondary endpoint was to quantify the morbidity of OPS and identify predictive factors for wound complications. Results Of 211 patients, 89 (42.2%) had a flap reconstruction. Surgery was realized on an irradiated field in 56 (62.9%) patients. Without OPS, all patients were candidates either for amputation (n = 9,10.1%) due to vessels/nerve infiltration, or R1/R2 resection (n = 80,89.9%). Seventy-two (80.0%) pedicle flaps and 18 (20.0%) free flaps were used. No R2 resections were performed. R0 and R1 margins were achieved in 82 (92.1%) and 7 (7.9%), respectively. The median closest margin was 3 mm (IQR 1–6 mm). Among R1 patients, 5 had positive margins along a preserved critical structure, 2 patients had well-differentiated liposarcomas. The surgical morbidity rate was 33.3% (30/90 flaps). The reoperation rate was 15.7% (14/89 patients). Conclusions In a referral sarcoma center, the collaboration between the surgical oncologist and the plastic surgery team should be considered upfront in the surgical plan, allowing the most adequate wide oncological resection with acceptable postoperative morbidity.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of percutaneous arteriovenous fistula creation in consecutive patients screened for first access creation. Methods: Prospective study of ultrasound mapping based on the following minimal anatomic requirements: a patent proximal radial artery and adjacent elbow perforating vein with straight trajectory, each greater than or equal to 2 mm in diameter and within 1.5 mm of each other. In addition, the same population was evaluated for feasibility of a distal radiocephalic fistula established. Results: One hundred consecutive patients were examined between November 2018 and January 2019. Sixty-seven were male (67%) and mean age was 61 years. Sixty-three patients (63%) and a total of 100 limbs (50%) were found to be eligible for a percutaneous fistula creation with Ellipsys®. Thirty-seven percent of patients were ineligible because of the absence of both median cephalic and median cubital veins (15%), absence or inadequate elbow perforating vein and/or smaller than 2 mm proximal radial artery (14%), and/or distance greater than 1.5 mm (8%). We found suitable vessels for a surgical distal fistula creation in 91 extremities (45%), but this percentage dropped to 17% in patients over 70 years old. Among the 100 limbs eligible for percutaneous arteriovenous fistula, only 30 (30%) were eligible for radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula. Conclusion: More than 60% of patients were eligible for Ellipsys. The absence of veins at the elbow and a large distance between vessels were the most common limiting factors. Less than one half of the patients were candidates for surgical fistula and this percentage dropped significantly for older individuals.

Objective: We evaluate the creation of a percutaneous proximal radial artery–radial vein arteriovenous fistula with Ellipsys® instead of the usual first-stage brachial artery fistula prior to a second-stage brachial vein elevation, in patients with inadequate cephalic and basilic veins. Methods: Single center study of eight patients (six males, mean = 54 years) who underwent a two-stage brachial vein elevation procedure between May 2017 and October 2019. Inclusion criteria were life expectancy > 6 months, patent brachial and proximal radial artery (>2 mm in diameter) absent/inadequate cephalic and basilic veins, existence of a brachial vein >3 mm in diameter, and in continuity with a proximal radial vein > 2 mm in diameter. Results: Technical success was 100%. Four patients required angioplasty of a juxta-anastomotic stenosis, accounting for a 6-month primary and secondary patency rates were 68% and 100%, respectively. Access flow averaged 982 mL/min (range 768–1586) at final follow-up evaluation. There were no significant adverse events related to the procedures. All fistulae were elevated at 4–12 (mean: 8) weeks post creation and were successfully cannulated with two needles after healing was completed (2–4 weeks after elevation). No patients developed hand ischemia or arm edema. Conclusions: Percutaneous creation of a proximal radial artery–radial vein fistula followed by brachial vein elevation is a safe and reliable option for autogenous access creation in patients with inadequate cephalic or basilic veins. Minimally invasive radial artery inflow and longer available length of the targeted brachial vein available for elevation are the main advantages in skilled hands.

Objective We reviewed our initial experience creating a percutaneous arteriovenous fistula (pAVF) using a thermal resistance anastomosis device with proximal radial artery inflow. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of all patients who underwent a pAVF creation procedure between May 2017 and October 2017. Primary end points of the study were technical success, patency by Doppler ultrasound examination or angiography, flow levels achieved, time to first use, and pAVF-related complications. Results A pAVF was attempted in 34 patients with technical success in 33 individuals (97%). Patency of the pAVF was 94%. Mean access flow was 946 mL/min (brachial artery measurement) at the latest follow-up visit (53-229 days; average, 141 days). At 6 weeks, all fistulas have been used or were ready for dialysis by clinical examination or ultrasound examination. Only one patient required superficialization of the upper arm cephalic vein by lipectomy. There were no adverse events related to the pAVF creation or use, nor was there need for further interventions. Conclusions Successful pAVFs with proximal radial artery inflow were created with excellent initial results regarding technical success, patency, and safety. Advantages include avoidance of a surgical incision, short procedure times, good acceptance by patients, prompt access maturation, moderate flow, and low-pressure access, with possible reduction of risk for ischemic complications. Avoidance of vessel manipulation and side branch ligation might reduce risk of thrombosis and improve long-term patency and reduce need for further interventions. These early findings need to be confirmed in larger and longer follow-up studies.

Background: To present a case of banding failure with vessel wall erosion and pseudo-aneurysm creation caused by the suture. Case report: A 75-year-old male patient was operated for a high-flow fistula (>2 L/min). This was overall the third time that the patient was operated for the same indication since he started dialysis 5 years ago. Standard banding technique with perioperative flow measurements was used, and three separate Prolene sutures tied over 5 and 4.5 mm probes to achieve flow reduction. The operation was successful and first few weeks were uneventful. However, 5–6 weeks postoperatively, the patient felt locally an acute pain that lasted only few seconds and a voluminous aneurysm occurred progressively within the next few weeks. He was observed 2 months after the first operation where a recurrent high-flow fistula was diagnosed and ultrasound examination revealed that the sutures used for banding were into the vessel lumen while a pseudo-aneurysm had occurred at the same level. The patient was re-operated for excision of the aneurysm and flow reduction with tapering of the anastomosis. Conclusion: Under certain conditions, the suture used for banding may erode through the vessel wall and get into the lumen. This will result in recurrence of a high-flow fistula. While this has been previously described, the phenomenon was otherwise uneventful. In contrary, in the case presented herein, a potentially threatening pseudo-aneurysm has occurred.

Skin necrosis overlying an arteriovenous fistula at the cannulation site is a common and potentially life-threatening problem, often associated with underlying aneurysm formation. Arteriovenous fistula-skin necrosis generally requires resection of surrounding skin margins and the underlying aneurysmal vessel wall, allowing repair with healthy tissue of the arteriovenous fistula in addition to closure of soft tissue and skin. In patients with insufficient fistula length, salvage of these arteriovenous fistulas may result in difficult or insurmountable cannulation issues leading to attempts at one-needle cannulation dialysis or, most often, catheter placement. Pre-existing stents or extensive calcification may add to the technical challenge of gaining proximal and/or distal control. We describe our technique for dealing with such arteriovenous fistula-skin necrosis lesions utilizing endo-occlusion with an angioplasty balloon for vascular control, allowing a limited incision and tissue resection with preservation of arteriovenous fistula cannulation length.

Purpose To assess the safety and clinical benefit of the Lutonix drug-coated balloon (DCB) catheter for the treatment of dysfunctional arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) and grafts (AVG) in a heterogenous real-world population. Materials and Methods This multicenter, prospective study enrolled 320 subjects from 12 countries in 25 sites across Europe and Asia. A total of 392 lesions were treated with the Lutonix 035 DCB catheter. Lesions were de novo and restenotic, located in every part of the circuit from the cannulation zone to central venous outflow. In-stent restenotic lesions also were treated. The primary safety endpoint was freedom from serious adverse events involving the access circuit through 30 days. The primary effectiveness endpoint was target lesion primary patency (TLPP) through 6 months. Secondary endpoints included access circuit primary patency (ACPP) at 6 months and the investigation of factors that would independently influence the primary endpoints. Results The primary safety endpoint was 95.5%, while TLPP was 73.9% at 6 months, per Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. ACPP was 71% at 6 months. TLPP for stenosis of AVFs was 78.1%. Subgroup analysis showed significantly improved TLPP when DCB was dilated for ≥120 seconds (P = .007). TLPP was significantly better when predilation occurred compared with cases where only DCB angioplasty was performed (77% vs 48.6%, P = .0005). Conclusions The Lutonix AV Global Registry confirms that the Lutonix DCB is a safe and effective treatment option in real-world patients with dysfunctional AVF or AVG. Procedural details had a significant role in TLPP. No significant difference in TLPP was observed among different treatment areas.

Background: Ulnar-basilic arteriovenous fistula is an alternative option when a radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula is not feasible. We review our technique of basilic vein transposition in the upper arm for difficult to puncture forearm ulnar-basilic non-transposed arteriovenous fistulae. Technical note: Three patients were referred for forearm ulnar-basilic arteriovenous fistulae with difficult cannulation where the forearm basilic vein was left in situ (non-transposed). Surgeon performed ultrasound examination confirmed a patent arteriovenous fistula with adequate diameter and flow, draining to the basilic vein in the forearm and into the upper arm. Recurrent new and resolving hematomas were present surrounding the forearm basilic vein resulting from difficult cannulation issues and problems maintaining needle position due the posterior-medial ulnar-basilic arteriovenous fistula position and mobility of the non-transposed forearm basilic vein. A basilic vein transposition elevation procedure was performed in the upper arm starting at the level of the elbow to a few centimeters below the axilla. Branches of the dilated basilic vein were ligated, the median cutaneous nerve was preserved, and the vein was elevated from its native position to a superficial and anterior location. Although difficult, dialysis access had been continued in the forearm during a brief period and none required catheter placement. Reliable dialysis access was successfully initiated using the newly transposed basilic vein in the upper arm 3–4 weeks after the procedure, maintaining arterial inflow based on the original ulnar-basilic arteriovenous fistula anastomosis at the wrist. None of the patients required further interventions with follow-up of 8, 15, and 22 months.

Patients with end-stage renal disease that require chronic haemodialysis need a reliable vascular access. Unanimously, native arteriovenous fistulae are considered to be the most reliable access for patients with reasonable life expectancy. For the last 60 years arteriovenous fistulae have been created surgically at the wrist or the elbow with variable rates of success, maturation problems, reinterventions and complications, making this field of surgery particularly challenging and full of scientific controversies. The recent addition of the technical ability to create arteriovenous fistulae percutaneously comes to add one more option for the patients and one more source of controversy for the experts.

Objective: To present our experience of balloon-assisted maturation with drug-eluting balloon dilation in patients with recurrent failing arteriovenous fistulae. Case series: Three patients (all males, mean age 71 years) with a complex history of failed attempts at native fistula creation underwent surgical creation of arteriovenous fistulae. Two patients had a two-stage brachio-brachial fistula and 1 had a brachio-cephalic fistula that also required subsequent elevation. After a few weeks of preserved patency with a thrill detected clinically, all patients had a gradual deterioration of flow manifested with loss of thrill and multiple severely stenotic lesions of neo-intimal hyperplasia seen on duplex ultrasound. All 3 non-maturing native arteriovenous fistulae had 1 or more angioplasties with regular balloons that were initially successful; however, they rapidly deteriorated with a loss of thrill and a recurrence of multiple stenosis. Drug-eluting balloon dilation was used subsequently as a last resort to save these failing fistulae. All procedures were successful with the preservation of patency and adequate fistula flow (>600 mL/min) during the follow-up period (4-8 months, mean 6 months), and all patients received successful dialysis with 2-needle cannulation of their fistulae. There were no adverse events during the study period. Conclusions: Drug-eluting balloon angioplasty was to salvage nonmaturing fistulae with durable results in complex patients where conventional treatment had previously failed. Drug-eluting balloons may provide a useful treatment option for patients prone to multiple access failures due accelerated neo-intimal hyperplasia.

ObjectiveMost clinicians regard angioplasty with or without stent placement to be the treatment of choice for transplant renal artery stenosis (TRAS). However, published results regarding its effectiveness are heterogeneous. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficiency of TRAS endovascular therapy.MethodsAll cases of TRAS admitted for treatment in our unit from January 2009 to December 2012 were reviewed retrospectively. The primary end point was the stenosis-free primary transplant renal artery patency. Secondary end points were freedom from reintervention, graft survival, postoperative serum creatinine level, blood pressure evolution, and the number of antihypertensive drugs pre- and postprocedure.ResultsA total of 17 patients (10 men, 7 women) presenting with TRAS were referred to our institution. During the early post-transplantation process (

A 60-year-old male patient presented with a false aneurysm of the common iliac artery and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus septicemia complicating previously placed kissing covered stents of the aortic bifurcation. We removed the prosthetic material and repaired the aortic bifurcation with a composite saphenous vein panel graft. To our knowledge, this technique is presented for the first time in the literature.

Objective Endovascular repair of injured thoracic aorta offers a new minimal invasive therapeutic option that could be beneficial in the urgent management of polytrauma patients. The aim of this study was to assess our multicenter experience of immediate endovascular repair for acute traumatic injuries of the thoracic aorta. Methods Between April 2002 and October 2007, all patients treated for an acute traumatic injury of the thoracic aorta, in a less than 12-hour delay, by endovascular repair, were reviewed retrospectively in three Parisian trauma centers. Collected data included age, sex, associated comorbidities, and traumatic lesions to determine the Traumatic Injury Severity Score (TRISS), the type of aortic lesion assessed by computed tomography (CT)-scan and transesophageal ultrasonography, technical aspects of endovascular repair, length of hospital stay, and postoperative mortality. Patients were regularly followed by clinical examination, chest radiographs, and thoracic CT-scan. Results Twenty-eight patients (20 males, mean age 45 ± 18.8 years) were treated in a median delay of 5 hours (range 2 to 10 hours) after initial trauma. They all experienced severe traumatic injuries with a mean predictive mortality of 55.6% ± 33.1% according to TRISS. Aortic lesions were associated with aortic parietal hematoma (71%), hemomediastinum (86%), and hemothorax (68%). All endovascular procedures were technically successful through femoral (n = 24) or iliac access (n = 4), in a mean operating time of 94 ± 35.8 minutes. Proximal sealing of the endografts required the coverage of the origin of the left subclavian artery in 13 cases and of the left common carotid in one case. The median of hospital stay was 27 days (range 9 to 127 days), with an overall hospital mortality of 17.9% (n = 5). All deaths were unrelated to the aortic rupture or the stent placement, and no intervention-related morbidity or mortality was recorded during a median follow-up of 24 months (range 5 to 73 months). Conclusion Endovascular stent grafting allows an immediate efficient repair for acute traumatic injuries of the thoracic aorta. This early management is, however, associated with a high in-hospital mortality, related to the severe concomitant injuries of such unselected multitrauma patients.

Since stroke and myocardial ischaemia are major causes of perioperative morbidity and mortality associated with carotid endarterectomy, monitoring the brain and ensuring the best haemodynamic stability are important goals of the management. As regional anaesthesia was reported to improve haemodynamic stability during carotid endarterectomy (CEA), we conducted a prospective observational study on the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided intermediate cervical plexus blocks (CPB), with early (immediate postoperative) and mid-term (day 30) outcomes in awake patients undergoing CEA.After the ethics committee approval, 50 patients undergoing a carotid endarterectomy with CPB from April 2011 to May 2013 were included. Anaesthesia and surgical dissection parameters, early complications and haemodynamic stability were recorded, as well as neurologic and cardiac outcomes initially and one month later.Cervical space was easy to locate by ultrasound in 90% of the patients. The quality of anaesthesia and surgical dissection was good in 86 and 88% of patients, respectively. No conversion to GA was required, secondary to a lack of analgesia. Two patients (4%) had severe hypotension (100mmHg). Three patients required a shunt after carotid clamping for loss of consciousness with a favourable neurological outcome. We observed one elevation of cTnI (0.95ng·ml(-1)) without ECG change and 1 death occurred after a postoperative haemorrhagic stroke.The present work reports our first 50 cases of intermediate CPB using ultrasound guidance. The results underline that this technique is easy to perform, safe and reliable, provided good surgical conditions with continuous intraoperative neurologic monitoring and stable haemodynamics are respected.

We report a case of a 63-year-old man presenting with abdominal pain and hydronephrosis secondary to periaortic fibrosis (PAF) 8 months after an endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) using a woven polyester bifurcated graft. De novo delayed PAF after open repair is rare and even more infrequent after EVAR. All 3 previously reported cases occurred after woven polyester grafts and no reported cases after polytetrafluorethylene grafts. Management included steroidal anti-inflammatory treatment and bilateral double J tube placement. Satisfactory results were obtained.

Preservation of native arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) in the long term can be technically challenging. Various anatomic or functional problems can occur and multiple open and/or endovascular interventions may be required for extended preservation of native accesses. In this report, we review vascular access maintenance in a 72-year-old woman during a 5-year period. Multiple complications of her native radiocephalic AVF included recurrent occlusions, a central venous stent fracture and symptomatic venous outflow stenosis. We present this case to illustrate the various techniques and combination of approaches used in the long-term preservation of a native AVF.

A 53-year-old male was being evaluated for endocarditis and mitral valve prolapse. Computed tomography angiography of the thorax and abdomen demonstrated a complete aortic coarctation with a rich network of collateral vessels, arising from the lumbar and inferior mesenteric arteries (Cover and A; see Video, online only). Abdominal aortic coarctation is an uncommon pathology. Fusion of the dorsal embryonic aortas and viralmediated diseases such as rubella have been identified as possible causes. Most patients present by their early twenties for uncontrollable hypertension, which, if left untreated, results in death at a mean age of 34 years. Interestingly, our patient was completely asymptomatic. He never had hypertension nor claudication even while regularly playing soccer in an amateur league until the age of 30 years. This physical athletic activity most likely both led to the development of the extensive network of pelvic collaterals and accounted for his lack of claudication symptoms (B and C; see Video, online only). Consent was obtained from the patient for the publication of this report.

controlled trial of dipyridimole plus aspirin for newly placed AVG. Methods: Participants in the Dialysis Access Consortium trial with upper extremity prosthetic grafts of the brachial artery were studied. Multivariable analyses adjusting for treatment group, center, gender, race, BMI, diabetes, current dialysis, and prior access or catheter were performed to compare outcomes of forearm (fAVG) and upper arm (uAVG) grafts including loss of primary unassisted patency (LPUP) and cumulative primary graft failure (CGF). Subgroup analyses of graft configuration and outflow vein used were conducted. Results: Of the 522 participants with an upper extremity brachial artery graft, 269 had fAVG and 253 had uAVG. Participants with fAVG were less often male (33% vs 43%; P 1⁄4 .03), black (62% vs 77%; P < .001), dialysisdependent at time of surgery (20% vs 36%; P < .001), and had a higher mean BMI (32 vs 29; P < .001) compared to those with uAVG. There was no difference in LPUP (69% vs 78%; P 1⁄4 .22) or CGF (32% vs 36%; P 1⁄4 .53) between fAVG and uAVG at 1 year follow-up. Multivariable adjustment did not change the statistical significance of the association between AVG location and either LPUP (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.98, 1.62; P 1⁄4 .07) or CGF (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.80, 1.49; P 1⁄4 .58). LPUP did not differ significantly between fAVG and uAVG among subgroups based on AVGconfiguration (P1⁄4 .23) or outflow vein used (P1⁄4 .53). Conclusions: Patency of fAVG and uAVG was similar despite the larger caliber veins often encountered in the upper arm. Therefore, to preserve a maximal number of access sites, the forearm location should be considered first before resorting to an upper arm graft.

Patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis often suffer from obliterative arterial disease, which may lead to hand ischemia and/or access failure. We present the case of a 54-year-old female patient with multiple failures in obtaining vascular access. Computed tomography angiogram revealed a long occlusion of the axillary artery. Vein mapping through duplex scanning demonstrated a suitable cephalic vein in the left forearm. A left carotid-brachial bypass was performed with simultaneous radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula formation. Immediate results were excellent, and the postoperative course was uneventful. To our knowledge, this is the first report of such a combined approach.

We present three novel techniques for creation of (1) a steerable sheath, (2) a 4F snare device, and (3) dual anterograde and retrograde double-wire percutaneous transluminal angioplasty access technique using a single femoral puncture. These techniques were conceived and bench-tested in our institution, allowing the utilization of inexpensive equipment for complicated endovascular procedures. They offer (1) controlled navigation, no-touch vessel cannulation and cannulation of angulated vessels, contralateral limb of stent grafts, fenestrations, and branches; (2) a low-profile (4F external diameter) modifiable snare with the ability to expand to the size of an entire aneurysm and the ability to undo the snare in case of blockage with other endovascular material; and (3) in situ sheath inversion for concomitant anterograde and retrograde percutaneous angioplasty with a single femoral puncture.

Lower limb arteriovenous (AV) access creation can be attempted in patients where upper limb options are exhausted. Utilization of the great saphenous vein as a conduit for AV access has been limited due to its small diameter and resistance to dilatation. Lower limb AV fistulas today are mostly either prosthetic grafts with high rates of infection and thrombosis or transposition of the femoral vein that can lead to limb-threatening venous hypertension. In this report, we describe an optimized technique for reconstruction of the great saphenous vein to serve as a dialysis conduit. This semipanel graft reconstruction effectively doubles the diameter of the conduit without disruption of the deep venous circulation and also mitigates the requirement for a venovenous anastomosis.