title: An occult cause of arteriovenous access failure: central vein stenosis from permanent pacemaker wire. Report of three cases and review of the literature.
abstract: Central vein stenosis is an indolent and underestimated complication of permanent pacemaker placement. It leads to serious problems in hemodialysis patients when arteriovenous (AV) fistulae/grafts were created at the ipsilateral arm. We, herein, reported 3 cases of AV access failure resulting from permanent pacemaker-related central vein stenosis. The pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, radiological findings, and therapeutic solution on this issue are discussed. It is mandatory to place the AV fistula/graft and permanent pacemaker wire on the opposite side for prevention of the high risk of AV access failure.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Tarng
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010690:Phlebography; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014680:Veins / Q000473:pathology*