title: Initial experience with the Gore® Acuseal graft for prosthetic vascular access.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to report the short-term results of the Gore® Acuseal graft for prosthetic vascular access (pVA) in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between October 2011 and October 2013, all the consecutive patients who underwent implantation of a new expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) tri-layer graft were included in the study. Primary and secondary patency rate, time to first cannulation, and complications were recorded. Follow-up was performed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty ePTFE tri-layer heparin bonded grafts were implanted in 18 males and 12 females. The graft configuration was radial-basilic (n=12, 40%), brachial-basilic (n=10, 33.3%), femoro-femoral (n=3, 10.0%), radial-cephalic (n=2, 6.7%), radial-antecubital forearm (n=2, 6.7%), and brachial-axillary (n=1, 3.3%). No patient was lost during a mean follow-up time of 6.3±5.9 months (range, 1-24; median, 5). Mean time to first cannulation was 2.4±1.2 days (range, 1-15). Primary functional patency rate was 68.0% ± 10 at 6 and 12 months. Secondary patency rate was 93.3% ± 6 at 6 and 12 months. Pseudoaneurysm, bleeding, seroma, or graft infection was never observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our experience, the Gore® Acuseal graft was useful and safe. Early cannulation was always performed, and structural complications did not occur. Primary functional and secondary patency rate are satisfactory in the short term.
authors: 1 Vascular Surgery, Center For Research on Organ Transplantation, Circolo University Teaching Hospital, University of Insubria School of Medicine, Varese - Italy.
authors: Matteo
authors: M
authors: Tozzi
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Franchin
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Ietto
authors: Gabriele
authors: G
authors: Soldini
authors: Giulio
authors: G
authors: Carcano
authors: Patrizio
authors: P
authors: Castelli
authors: Gabriele
authors: G
authors: Piffaretti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene