Insertion of long-term tunneled cuffed hemodialysis catheters via the external jugular vein by using a simple, safe and reliable surgical technique.
OBJECTIVE
Description of our technique for the insertion of long-term tunneled cuffed hemodialysis (HD) catheters via the external jugular vein.


METHODS
From December 1999 to August 2006, 357 long-term tunneled cuffed HD catheters were inserted in 308 patients, who were referred to us from various hospitals and clinics in Greece. About half of them (168, or 47%) were inserted via the external jugular vein. We describe our surgical technique for the insertion of long-term tunneled cuffed HD catheters via the external jugular vein.


RESULTS
During our study, there was a gradual increase in using the external jugular vein as a method for the insertion of permanent HD catheters. In all cases, the intraoperative catheter blood flow was measured >300 ml/min. No major complications occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term tunneled cuffed HD catheters can be inserted via the external jugular vein by using an easy, simple, safe surgical technique. This procedure provides the possibility of using the internal jugular vein in the future.
Skandalos
I
I
Department of Surgery, General Hospital, St Pavlos, Thessaloniki, Greece. skandal@otenet.gr
Amvrosiadis
D
D
Filippidis
A
A
Sioulis
A
A
Tsitsios
T
T
Mavromatidis
K
K
Hatzibaloglou
A
A
D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods