Fogarty® catheter dilatation of veins smaller than 2.5 mm after completion of the anastomosis during arteriovenous fistula creation

Abstract

Introduction. Risk of failure after surgical creation of the AVF was linked to the diameter and flow dynamics of the vessel that is to be quantified by preoperative ultrasound mapping. We aimed to report our results using a different technique consisting of Fogarty® catheter dilatation of the cephalic vein after completion of the anastomosis.

Material and methods. A total of 23 patients, aged between 35 to 70 years, with a cephalic vein diameter of ≤ 2.5 mm received a dilatation technique for arteriovenous creation. Patients having reoperations, aneurysmatic or thrombosed veins and multiple risk factors were not considered eligible and access failure within 60 days was defined as early fistula failure.

Results. Mean cephalic vein diameter was 2.03 ± 0.28 mm and mean radial artery diameter was 2.33 ± 0.16 mm. At 15th day visit, 21 of 23 patients (91.3%) had patent arteriovenous fistula. Mean time of follow-up was 7.2 ± 1.67 months and was complete in 20 of 21 patients with a patent fistula. Overall patency was 18/23 (78.2%) in patients with survived AVFs.

Conclusion. Fogarty® catheter dilatation of the cephalic vein after completion of the anastomosis during arteriovenous fistula creation is effective and safe in patients with small calibrated veins.