title: Patency of the Viabahn stent graft for the treatment of outflow stenosis in hemodialysis grafts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate arteriovenous graft patency when failing grafts are treated with Viabahn covered stents vs percutaneous angioplasty (PTA) alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of all patients that underwent endovascular interventions for failing grafts at a single institution between January 2010 and July 2013 was performed. Forty-four patients were identified who were treated with PTA alone (11) and with Viabahn stent grafts (33) for stenoses in the venous to graft anastomoses. Patient demographics, procedural success, and intraoperative complications were recorded as well as graft patency at 3, 6, and 12 months. Graft patency was reviewed and compared with PTA alone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups regarding gender, frequency of diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, or peripheral arterial disease. Primary technical success defined as residual stenosis 10% or less was achieved in 100% of the cases. Follow-up was determined by flow velocities during dialysis and ultrasound imaging in the vascular laboratory. At 12 months 87.8% (29/33) grafts with stents were functional vs 36.4% (4/11) of those with PTA alone. Primary patency of the stent group was 61%, 52%, and 42% at 3, 6, and 12 months respectively vs the PTA group 64%, 45%, and 9%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Grafts treated with Viabahn covered stents for outflow stenosis have a superior patency to PTA alone, 12 months after treatment; although earlier post treatment results are comparable.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA; University Health Center, 4201 St. Antoine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. Electronic address: carmona.rodriguez.jorge@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Cardiovascular Institute at Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Yevgeniy
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rits
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery at Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Brandt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery at Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dowers
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Cardiovascular Institute at Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bednarski
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Cardiovascular Institute at Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Rubin
mesh_terms: D017130:Angioplasty; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency
keywords: Arteriovenous fistula; Arteriovenous graft; Assisted primary patency; Primary patency; Secondary patency