Non-invasive evaluation of prosthetic dialysis shunts in asymptomatic patients.
A prospective study was done in 16 asymptomatic patients on chronic haemodialysis after implantation of a PTFE vascular access. A high percentage (50%) of these grafts turned out to be stenotic somewhere along their course. All these stenoses were detected by real-time ultrasound (accuracy 100%). Accuracy for Doppler examination was less, being 95% for spectral broadening and 98% for increased systolic peak flow frequency. So real-time ultrasound with or without Doppler examination is the preferable method for early detection of stenosis in PTFE dialysis shunts in asymptomatic patients.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene