title: Venous stenosis and occlusion in hemodialysis shunts: follow-up results of stent placement in 65 patients.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Technical University of Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vorwerk
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Guenther
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bohndorf
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Keulers
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alzen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kistler
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene