[Perioperative failure of hemodialysis shunts: analysis of risk factors].
BACKGROUND
Because vascular access dysfunction results in substantial morbidity in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis, this complication should be avoided. However, we experienced four patients whose hemodialysis shunts failed within 24 hours postoperatively.


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed operations performed under general anesthesia in our hospital for patients receiving hemodialysis shunts between May 2001 and October 2002. Comparisons between cases with and without perioperative shunt failures were performed using Mann-Whitney and Fishers exact tests.


RESULTS
Spinal surgery (P<0.01) and surgery placed in prone or knee-chest positions (P<0.05) were significantly more frequent, and the operation times (P<0.01) and blood losses (P<0.05) were significantly greater, in the occluded group (n=4) than in the non-occluded group (n=12).


CONCLUSIONS
Prone position might have impaired venous backflow from the shunt, thus promoting thrombogenesis. Additionally, moderate hemorrhage, with or without blood transfusion, may have induced a transient hypercoagulable state during the operation, which thus contributed to the acute shunt failure.
Sumida
Hiroshi
H
Department of Anesthesia, Kyoto City Hospital, Kyoto 604-8845.
Nakamura
Kumi
K
Katagawa
Tomoko
T
Mizota
Toshiyuki
T
Hashimoto
Kayoko
K
Yamakawa
Tomoyuki
T
Kitamura
Rie
R
D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D016684:Prone Position; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology