Low-flow maturation failure of distal accesses: Treatment by angioplasty of forearm arteries.
BACKGROUND
Forearm artery lesions are a frequent cause of distal fistula maturation failure. Surgical treatment is difficult because of highly calcified arteries. To redo the arteriovenous anastomosis higher up the forearm is technically difficult and often ineffective because arteries cannot be enlarged. It also causes a loss in puncture zone. Creation of brachial accesses leads to a high risk of distal ischemia.


METHODS
From September 2000 to September 2006, we performed percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of forearm arteries in 25 patients with failing distal access maturation. We reported immediate results of the dilatation and retrospectively analyzed the outcome of the accesses after the procedure.


RESULTS
Forearm artery PTA was achieved in all 25 patients. Three main complications occurred: severe spasms precluding precise assessment of the artery patency after dilatation, rupture easily treated by prolonged low-pressure balloon inflation, and early rethrombosis leading to access loss. Follow-up was available in 23 patients. PTA failed to restore a sufficient access flow in two patients (the access loss and an insufficient increase in flow). In the remaining 21 (91%), accesses started to be used for hemodialysis without difficulties. Primary patency access rates after PTA were 83% (range, 60%-93%) at 1 year and 74% (range, 47%-89%) at 2 years. Secondary access patency rates were 86% (range, 64%-95%) at 1 and 3 years.


CONCLUSIONS
When a distal access fails to mature because of forearm artery lesions, PTA should be done and will salvage the fistula without risk of distal ischemia and cardiac failure. Efficacy of PTA clearly influences surgical strategy and is a major argument in favor of attempting to create distal accesses in patients with mild distal artery lesions. Even in cases of failure, such as early occlusion of the fistula, this technique does not jeopardize further proximal access creation. Forearm access creation should be avoided only in cases of extremely severe distal artery lesions.
Raynaud
Alain
A
Department of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology, Clinique Alleray Labrouste, Paris, France.
Novelli
Luigi
L
Bourquelot
Pierre
P
Stolba
Jan
J
Beyssen
Bernard
B
Franco
Gilbert
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000792:Angiography; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016121:Brachiocephalic Veins / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012421:Rupture; D013035:Spasm / Q000209:etiology; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure; D017535:Ulnar Artery / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D014654:Vascular Patency