Venous stenosis and occlusion in hemodialysis shunts: follow-up results of stent placement in 65 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To provide follow-up data on the use of self-expanding stents in hemodialysis fistulas to improve the technical success of balloon angioplasty.


METHODS
Ninety-two self-expanding vascular stents were placed in 65 patients (29 men and 36 women 25-79 years of age; mean, 57.6 years) with failing hemodialysis fistulas or shunts.


RESULTS
Stent placement was successful in all patients, but rethrombosis of the shunt occurred in six patients (10%) within 1 week. There were 96 episodes of reobstruction. In 87 cases, percutaneous or combined surgical and percutaneous repeat intervention was performed. The cumulative shunt function rate was 88% after 6 months, 86% after 1 year, and 77% after 2 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Stent placement in hemodialysis fistulas helps treat lesions that cannot be adequately treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) alone but has a follow-up patency rate similar to that of PTA. Standard central venous stents have a better patency rate than after PTA.
Vorwerk
D
D
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Technical University of Aachen, Germany.
Guenther
R W
RW
Mann
H
H
Bohndorf
K
K
Keulers
P
P
Alzen
G
G
Sohn
M
M
Kistler
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D014654:Vascular Patency
D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene