title: Experience with a needleless vascular access device (Hemasite) for hemodialysis.
abstract: Experience with 35 needleless implants (Hemasite) in 27 patients over the past 27 months has shown that this device can provide immediately available painless access in patients lacking adequate veins for a direct internal fistula for hemodialysis. The cumulative patency rate of 46% at two years is comparable to that of polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. The major complication was infection which contributed to graft loss in one third of patients. Obese female patients were particularly susceptible to infection and had a worse graft prognosis. Long-term results with a graftless model were poor.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D001367:Axillary Vein / Q000601:surgery; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000601:surgery; D004867:Equipment Design; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007688:Kidneys, Artificial; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013997:Time Factors