Evaluation of vascular access complications in acute and chronic hemodialysis.

PURPOSE: This work aimed to determine the incidence of vascular access (VA)-related complications of temporary venous catheters in acute hemodialysis (HD) prescription, to study the survival rate of chronic HD patients who began HD with a catheter insertion and to evaluate associated complications.

METHODS: The patients were classified into two groups. Group I, patients in whom venous catheters were inserted (652 patients). Group II, 80 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in whom an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) was established.

RESULTS: Complications in the femoral approach were bleeding from a femoral artery wall laceration in only 6/600 patients (1%), successfully repaired in all patients, bleeding from a punctured femoral artery in 30 patients (5%), the incidence of infection and removal was 40%. Other complications included groin hematoma in 3 patients (0.5%) and catheter thrombosis in 45 patients (7.5%). In the jugular vein approach, infection occurred in 6/30 patients (20%), thrombosis in 9 patients (30%), and accidental withdrawal in 2 patients (6.7%). In the subclavian vein approach, catheter dysfunction was found in 7/22 patients (32%), infection in 10 patients (45.5%), and failure to cannulate the vein in 3 patients (13.6%). In group II, limb edema was found in 14/80 patients (17.5%), hematoma in 5 patients (6.3%), accidental trauma to the fistula in 2 patients (2.5%) and fistula stenosis in 15 patients (18.8%). Patients who began HD with a catheter had higher mortality than those who began with an AVF (12 months survival, respectively, 60 vs. 83%).

CONCLUSION: Patients who began HD with a catheter had more complications and higher mortality. Routine quality assessment of AVF by Doppler ultrasound is recommended.