Difficult vascular access in patients with end-stage renal failure.

Background/aim: End-stage renal failure patients requiring long-term hemodialysis need a durable vascular access. The arteriovenous fistula (AVF) with its long patency rate and low complication profile is usually the first choice for vascular access creation. However, when superficial veins are not suitable for AVF creation or all have been exhausted as a result of repeated AVF procedures, arteriovenous grafts (AVGs) using expanded polytetraflouroethylene (ePTFE) is an alternative. This study reviewed our experience in using PTFE AVGs for vascular access in patients requiring chronic hemodialysis.
Materials and Methods: In a prospective study, from September 2002 to October 2004, 21 PTFE AVGs were placed in 21 patients. We evaluated the complications and patency.
Results: There were 12 female and nine male patients of mean age 58+/-8.7 years (range=45 to 76 years). Nine patients (43%) had hypertensive nephrosclerosis, 6 (29%) diabetic, 2 (10%) glomerulonephritis, 3 (14%) systemic lupus erythematosis requiring long-term steroids, and 1 (4.7%) unknown cause. The patency rate at 24 months was 85.7%. Complications included graft thrombosis (three; 14.3%), wound infection (three; 14.3%) and graft infection (one; 4.8%).
Conclusion: ePTFE AVGs offer reasonable patency and serviceability rates as a vascular access modality, but in view of their complication profile, the native vein arteriovenous fistula should continue to be the first choice for vascular access for patients requiring chronic hemodialysis.