Arteriovenous Fistula After Kidney Transplantation in University Hospital Centre Osijek (original) (raw)

The attitude of kidney transplant recipients towards elective arteriovenous fistula ligation

PLOS ONE, 2020

Background Arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) are a source of various complications. Among previously hemodialyzed kidney transplant recipients (KTxR), the AVF may persist over time. The patients' decisions whether to ligate the functioning AVF may be prompted by many factors. Our knowledge of benefits concerning the procedure as well as patients' attitude towards it is scarce. Aim Evaluation of the patients' opinion on the persistent AVF ligation after a successful kidney transplantation. Materials and methods An anonymous survey was carried out among 301 previously hemodialyzed KTxR. The patients were recruited during scheduled visits in the Transplantation Outpatient Unit. All subjects completed an anonymous questionnaire including questions about their attitude towards the matter in question. Results 69 patients (22.9%) have considered AVF closure. The most common causes for such attitude were esthetic reasons (n = 29) and concerns about heart health (n = 13). Among those 69 subjects, 18 have presented with symptomatic AVF due to multiple symptoms. Symptomatic AVFs were localized on the forearm in 14 out of 18 cases. As many as 116 (38.5%) cases have never wanted to ligate the AVF and 116 (38.5%) subjects did not have a clear opinion. In our study we report 158 (52.5%) cases of non-functioning AVFs. The main reason for the above was spontaneous AVF thrombosis (121 cases). Only 24 subjects reported to rely on the physician-provided information about the AVF management.

Prophylactic Ligature of AV Fistula Prevents High Output Heart Failure after Kidney Transplantation

American Journal of Nephrology

Background: Arteriovenous (AV) fistulas are considered the gold standard for ensuring safe and long-term vascular access in patients with haemodialysis-dependent end-stage renal disease. However, previous studies demonstrated that high-flow AV fistulas might add additional cardiovascular burden in the post-transplant setting, leading to frequent fistula closure in this population. Currently, there is no consensus regarding management of high-flow fistulas in post-transplant patients with stable kidney function. The present randomized controlled trial examines the effect of prophylactic AV fistula closure on high-output heart failure. Methods: Twenty-eight kidney transplant patients with stable graft function, absence of pre-existing severe cardiac failure, and brachial arterial flow rate of at least 1,500 mL/min were recruited and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to an intervention and control group, respectively. The intervention group was subject to immediate fistula ligature. Patients w...

Management of Postbiopsy Arteriovenous Fistulas in Transplanted Kidneys and Effectiveness of Endovascular Treatment: A Single-center Experience

Annals of Vascular Surgery, 2014

Background: We sought to evaluate the best therapeutic management of postbiopsy arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) in transplanted kidneys. Methods: Between January 2005 and December 2011, we observed 17 cases of postbiopsy AVF in transplanted kidneys (9 asymptomatic; 8 symptomatic). Asymptomatic cases were managed conservatively, while patients with symptomatic AVF underwent endovascular treatment. We used a technique that consisted in a superselective transcatheter embolization of the afferent branch. We evaluated the technical success (postoperative closure of AVF), the immediate clinical efficacy (cessation of symptoms), and clinical efficacy at follow-up (measurement of serum creatinine at 7 days and 6 and 12 months compared with preoperative levels using t-tests). Results: Asymptomatic AVFs resolved spontaneously, while the endovascular treatment in symptomatic AVFs showed a complete technical and clinical success with prompt remission of the presented symptoms. We observed a statistically significant reduction in serum creatinine at 7 days and 6 and 12 months postoperatively (mean creatininedpreoperative: 3.23 ± 1.4 mg/dL; 7 days: 2.25 ± 0.8 mg/dL; 6 months: 1.65 ± 0.28 mg/dL; 12 months: 1.4 ± 0.26 mg/dL; in all cases P < 0.05). Conclusions: In our experience, asymptomatic AVFs could be managed conservatively with close follow-up while the endovascular treatment for symptomatic AVFs is both safe and effective in the short-and long-term.

Acute Renal Failure and Volume Overload Syndrome Secondary to a Femorofemoral Arteriovenous Fistula Angioplasty in a Kidney Transplant Recipient

Case Reports in Transplantation, 2013

Experimental and clinical studies analyzing the impact of AVF on cardiovascular and renal parameters, as well as outcomes, in kidney transplant recipients are lacking. On the other hand, it is not known whether AVF ligation after transplantation modifies hemodynamic parameters and kidney function. We report a case of a renal transplant recipient who developed an acute congestive heart failure accompanied by renal failure, which were triggered by femorofemoral AVF angioplasty. Prompt AVF ligation rapidly reversed clinical symptoms and normalized cardiac and renal functions. This paper illustrates the potential deleterious consequences of high-output AVF after kidney transplantation and raises considerations regarding the impact of the fistula on cardiac status and kidney function after kidney transplantation and, consequently, the management AVF after transplantation.

Late postoperative complications of arteriovenous fistula for hemodialysis

Биомедицинска истраживања, 2021

The vascular approach is a prerequisite for performing hemodialysis, but their "weak points" are different and frequent complications. Modern guidlines recommend native arteriovenous fistula (AVF) as the first choice of vascular approach, because it is characterized by the longest survival and the least complications compared to other vascular approaches. All complications of AVF can be divided into intraoperative, early, and late postoperative. This paper presents the late postoperative complications of AVF, their frequency, causes, diagnosis and treatment. The most important late postoperative complications are: stenosis, thrombosis, aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm formation, infection, hand edema, hematoma, ischemic steal syndrome, ischemic neuropathy, congestive heart failure. Large differences in the frequency of each complication in earlier studies can be explained by differences in surgical technique, localization of AVF, diagnostic methods, but, above all, differences between the presented groups of patients. It is described that the age of patients, sex, underlying disease, the presence of comorbid conditions and various metabolic and immune disorders characteristic of chronic renal failure, as well as the way of using and caring for AVF significantly affect the occurrence of AVF complications. One of the main predictors of AVF success and survival is the quality of the patients' blood vessels, and therefore careful examination of blood vessels before approaching AVF creation is of particular importance. The creation, use and care of AVF is the task of the team of health professionals who take part in the treatment of these patients, and successful treatment requires their good cooperation, as well as cooperation with patients.

Vascular Access Perspectives in Patients After Kidney Transplantation

Frontiers in Surgery, 2021

Introduction: More attention has been paid to the influence of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) on the cardiovascular system. In renal transplant recipients, some beneficial effect of an elective vascular access (VA) ligation was observed in patients with a high AVF flow. However, this strategy is not widely accepted and is in contradiction to the rule of vasculature preservation for possible future access. The aim of our study is to elucidate the vascular access function and VA perspective in the kidney transplantation (KTx) population.Materials and Methods: KTx patients with a stable graft function were recruited to participate in this single center observational study (NCT04478968). The measurement of VA flow and vessel mapping for future vascular access was performed by a color Doppler ultrasound. The study group included 99 (63%) males and 58 (37%) females; the median age was 57 (IQR 48–64) years. The median time from the transplantation to the baseline visit was 94 (IQR 61–149) mon...

Long-Term Impact of Arteriovenous Fistula Ligation on Cardiac Structure and Function in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A 5-Year Follow-Up Observational Cohort Study

Kidney360, 2021

BackgroundThe long-term effects of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) ligation on cardiovascular structure following kidney transplantation remain uncertain. A prospective randomized, controlled trial (RCT) examined the effect of AVF ligation at 6 months on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR)–derived parameters in 27 kidney transplant recipients compared with 27 controls. A mean decrease in left ventricular mass (LVM) of 22.1 g (95% CI, 15.0 to 29.1) was observed compared with an increase of 1.2 g (95% CI, −4.8 to 7.2) in the control group (P<0.001). We conducted a long-term follow-up observational cohort study in the treated cohort to determine the evolution of CMR-derived parameters compared with those documented at 6 months post-AVF ligation.MethodsWe performed CMR at long-term follow-up in the AVF ligation observational cohort from our original RCT published in 2019. Results were compared with CMR at 6 months postintervention. The coprimary end point was the change in CM...

Success Rate of Salvage Surgical Intervention of Acutely Thrombosed Arteriovenous Fistula in Hemodialysis Patients

Suez Canal University Medical Journal

Background: Establishing and maintaining vascular access for hemodialysis in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are important prognostic factors for patient survival. The loss of vascular access, most frequently due to thrombosis, remains one of the most challenging obstacles in their long-term management. Success rate of surgical intervention of the vascular access in patients with acutely thrombosed arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) is still a controversial issue. Objective: To assess the success rate of salvage of acutely thrombosed arteriovenous fistula through surgical intervention. Patient and Methods: Uncontrolled clinical trial, was conducted over the period from November 2018 to `October 2019 on 52 patients with acute thrombosis of autogenous AVF in Suez Canal University Hospital. Patients were treated using open thrombectomy with or without surgical interventions as jump graft or re-insertion of anastomosis to correct juxta-anastomosis stenosis or re-anastomosis if needed regarding the cause. Results: The mean age was 51 +/-14 years. The cause of thrombosis was stenosis in 13 patients (25%). Surgical intervention was successful to regain immediate functioning AVF in 34 patients (65.4%). The secondary patency rate after intervention was more than 6 months in 29 patients (85.3%). Jump graft with surgical thrombectomy in treatment of stenosis as a cause of thrombosis was the highest rate success in 8 patients (88.9%). Conclusion: Intervention with different surgical modalities for acutely thrombosed AVFs is a safe and effective procedure in many cases. It is associated with good success rates, low complication rates, and maintained long-term patency of vascular access.