Delayed superficialization of brachiobasilic fistula: technique and initial experience.

HYPOTHESIS: Angioaccess procedures for dialysis have varied patency rates with frequent need for intervention. A superficialized arteriovenous brachiobasilic fistula created as a 2-step procedure will have good long-term patency with minimal complication. DESIGN: Retrospective medical record review and patient interview. SETTING: Tertiary referral university hospital. PATIENTS: Twelve patients who underwent delayed superficialization of brachiobasilic fistula from September 1994 to April 2000. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patency of fistula for dialysis, and major and minor complications, including revisions. RESULTS: Delayed superficialization of brachiobasilic fistula was performed in 12 patients. Fistulas have been used for a mean duration of 22.4 months (range, 10-59 months). Two patients required alternate access owing to thrombosis of brachiobasilic fistula. CONCLUSIONS: The delayed superficialized brachiobasilic arteriovenous fistula has a good initial patency rate with minimal complications. It should be considered early in patients if radiocephalic fistula is unavailable.

Surgical treatment of the parathyroid gland in patients with end-stage renal disease.

During the period from December 1984 to December 1986, ten patients with end-stage renal disease were evaluated with hyperparathyroidism refractory to medical management. Symptoms were bone pain in eight patients and pruritus and constipation in two. Two patients with bone pain also had impaired mentation. Biochemical preoperative assessment revealed calcium levels between 8.7 and 11.2 milligrams per deciliter, with a median of 10.5 milligrams per deciliter. Phosphate levels were normal in all but three patients, and the phosphate-calcium product was greater than 80 in two. Parathyroid hormone levels assessed with the radioimmunoassay method were elevated in all patients, and results of ultrasound of the neck, done in seven patients, revealed hyperplastic glands in six patients and normal glands in one patient. All patients underwent surgical exploration of the neck with removal of four parathyroid glands and immediate autotransplantation. No complications related to the operative procedure occurred. Postoperative calcium levels ranged between 6.5 and 9.5 milligrams per deciliter on the first postoperative day and normalized by the sixth day. Four patients experienced symptomatic hypocalcemia requiring intravenous calcium supplementation for one to six days postoperatively. The mean hospital stay was four days (three to seven days). All patients had histologically confirmed four gland parathyroid hyperplasia. Marked improvement of symptoms was accomplished in all patients after a period of three to 30 days. One patient required revision of the forearm parathyroid transplant after four months. One patient required calcium supplementation taken orally, two patients required 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and five required treatment with both. Two patients did not require any further medical treatment, and no patient had recurrent symptoms after a mean follow-up period of eight months. We recommend total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation in patients with end-stage renal disease as a safe and effective procedure for symptomatic refractory hyperparathyroidism. Symptom relief can be accomplished in the vast majority of patients.

Reversal of the histology of bone after parathyroidectomy in patients with hyperparathyroidism.

Hyperparathyroidism is commonly seen in patients with end-stage renal disease and less commonly in the primary form. The skeletal manifestations of hyperparathyroidism are the same in both forms and are well described in the literature. We treated a patient from each category. Multiple bony lesions and pathologic fractures were observed. The clinical presentations and radiologic and histologic findings confirmed the diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism and osteitis fibrosa cystica in both patients. Subtotal excisions of the parathyroid glands were done in both patients. Appropriate treatment of the bony lesions and pathologic fractures resulted in healing. Histologic evaluation of the bony lesions indicated an osteoblastic or healing response. The reversal of the histologic pattern in just 5 days and 16 days after parathyroidectomy was noted. In treating such patients, physicians should consider parathyroidectomy as an aid in the overall management of patients.

Patient self-referral for kidney transplantation.

A total of 634 patients referred for transplantation was followed for up to 5 yrs, 149 being self-referred and 485 being referred by their physicians. The survival rates of those transplanted in both groups were compared to those not transplanted. The self-referred group increased their chances of receiving a transplant by 20% and did not increase their risk of mortality. These findings suggest that transplantation should be recommended to all patients with end-stage renal failure as the procedure of choice.

Experimental study of chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. I. Inhibition of protein and amino acid losses by single amino acids.

A successful dog model of the continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patient was developed. These preparations were employed in initial studies of the effects of single amino acid-containing dialysis solutions on the losses of protein and amino acids into the dialysate. A decrease of about 40% in the loss of total amino acids into the dialysate was observed when DL-serine-containing dialysis solutions were employed. The addition of DL-serine, L-lysine, or DL-alanine to the dialysis solutions diminished protein loss into the dialysate by 27-55%. DL-Glutamic acid and DL-aspartic acid were ineffective in this regard.