Femoral and iliac vein stenoses after prolonged femoral vein catheter insertion.
OBJECTIVE
Catheterization of the femoral vein is a safe and recommended method of temporary access for haemodialysis. In some patients, however, because of the lack of other possibilities, it is necessary to maintain long-term femoral cannulation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of stenosis after prolonged femoral cannulation.


METHODS
The 24 patients incorporated in the study were divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 10 end-stage kidney failure patients (four females and six males, aged 32-75 years, average 55.6+/-13.6 years) in whom femoral catheters were maintained for less than 2 weeks (5-14 days, average 9.3+/-3.6 days). Group 2 included 14 chronic haemodialysis patients (six females and eight males aged 23-65 years, average 49.5+/-13.27 years). The time of catheter maintenance ranged from 2 to 16 weeks (average 6.4+/-4.2 weeks). Femoral and iliac vein status was evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging.


RESULTS
A feature of venous stenosis of both the femoral and iliac veins was disclosed in four patients in whom femoral cannulation lasted more than 4 weeks. There were no stenoses in group 1.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term femoral cannulation for more than 4 weeks may be associated with a significant risk of stenosis in the femoral and/or external iliac veins.
Weyde
Waclaw
W
Department of Nephrology and Transplantation Medicine, Wroclaw University of Medicine, Poland.
Badowski
Roman
R
Krajewska
Magdalena
M
Penar
Jozef
J
Moron
Krzysztof
K
Klinger
Marian
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007084:Iliac Vein / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013997:Time Factors