Outcomes of AV Fistulas and AV Grafts after Interventional Stent-Graft Deployment in Haemodialysis Patients.

PURPOSE: The study was designed to assess outcomes of arteriovenous (AV) accesses after interventional stent-graft deployment in haemodialysis patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: 63 haemodialysis patients with 66 AV fistulas and AV grafts were treated by interventional stent-graft deployment from 2006 to 2012 at our hospital. Data of these patients were retrospectively analysed for location of deployed stent-grafts, occurrence and location of (re-)stenosis and (re-)thrombosis. Complex stenosis was the most frequent indication for stent-graft deployment (45.5%), followed by complications of angioplasty with vessel rupture or dissection (31.8%).

RESULTS: A high rate of procedural success was achieved (98.5%). The most frequent location of the deployed stent-graft was the draining vein (66.7%). Stent-graft deployment was more frequent in AV grafts than in AV fistulas. Primary patency was 45.5% at 6 month, 31.3% at 12 month and 19.2% at 24 month. Primary patency was significantly better for AV fistulas than for AV grafts with deployed stent-grafts. Patency of the deployed stent-graft was much better than overall AV access primary patency with deployed stent-graft. Re-stenosis with thrombosis was the most frequent indication for re-intervention. Most frequent location of re-stenosis was the draining vein (37.1%), followed by stenosis at the AV access (29.5%) and the deployed stent-graft (23.5%).

CONCLUSION: Re-stenosis and re-thrombosis remain frequent in AV fistulas and AV grafts in haemodialysis patients despite stent-graft deployment. Re-stenosis of the deployed stent-graft is, only in the minority of the cases, responsible for AV access dysfunction.