Anatomy, surgical techniques, and clinical outcomes for the medial arm flap: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The medial arm flap (MAF) has been used as a pedicle flap and free flap to reconstruct various deformities, including those of the head and neck, axilla, elbow, chest, and hand. This study reviews the anatomy of the flap, the technique of flap harvest, its clinical applications, and a systematic review of the current published literature. METHODS: An online systematic review of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and The Cochrane Library from inception to September 30, 2023, was completed. Studies that investigate the anatomy, technique or clinical outcomes of medial arm flaps were included. Clinical data extracted includes patient, defect, flap characteristics, complications, and take-back procedures. Anatomic data extracted includes anatomical variations, and vascular characteristics and patterns. RESULTS: Between 1980 and 2023, 50 papers were published outlining the medial arm flap. Anatomic studies detail the anatomy of 384 medial arms, and outcomes are reported for 283 MAFs (75 free flaps and 208 pedicle flaps). The superior ulnar collateral artery is most commonly cited as the dominant arterial supply to the middle third of the medial arm. The majority of patients required reconstruction post-burn (39.2%), trauma (17.7%), and tumor excision (12.4%). MAFs were mostly used to reconstruct defects of the head and neck (41.7%), the hand and wrist (21.9%), and the elbow (16.3%). Eleven flaps (4.1%) suffered partial flap failure, and two flaps (0.7%) suffered total flap failure. CONCLUSION: This manuscript demonstrates that the MAF is a reliable and underutilized flap option with a well-hidden donor scar and a low complication rate.

Dual outflow upper arm arteriovenous fistula: An effective technique to prevent cephalic arch stenosis.

Cephalic arch stenosis (CAS) is critical point to maintain functional arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in patients undergoing hemodialysis with brachio-cephalic AVFs. In this study, we aimed to determine the effectiveness of dual outflow (cephalic and basilic veins) as a surgical method to prevent CAS. Between July 2016 and December 2019, 369 patients underwent upper arm AVF creation. Among them the 251 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. Two hundred seven underwent brachio-cephalic arteriovenous fistula (BCAVF) and 44 underwent brachio-cephalicbasilic arteriovenous fistula (BCBAVF). From the 251 patients, diabetes mellitus (66.7% vs 36.4%, P < .001) and hypertension (91.3% vs 75%, P = .002) were more common in the patient group who underwent BCAVF surgery; however, the difference in volume flow to the fistula did not differ between the 2 groups. CAS (30.4% vs 9.1%, P = .004) and fistula occlusion (15.9% vs 4.5%, P = .048) were likely to occur in the BCAVF group. The primary patency rates at 12 months were 74.3% and 86.4% for the BCAVFs and BCBAVFs, respectively (P = .075). The primary-assisted patency rates at 12 months were 87.0% for BCAVFs and 93.2% for BCBAVFs, respectively (P = .145). Secondary patency rates at 12 months were 92.2% for BCAVFs and 93.2% for BCBAVFs, respectively (P = .023). Compared to BCAVF, traditional upper arm AVF, upper arm AVF with cephalic and basilic vein dual drainage can be optimal surgical method to preventing CAS.

Symptomatic Upper Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis After Laser Lead Extraction.

INTRODUCTION: Laser lead extraction is a well-established method for removing unwanted leads with low morbidity and mortality. In this small series of cases, we documented our experience with venous thrombosis after laser lead extraction. METHODS: Retrospective data of patients who underwent laser lead extraction with postoperative axillo-subclavian vein thrombosis between May 2010 and January 2020 were analyzed. Demographic, operative, clinical, and follow-up characteristics of those patients were collected from our medical database. RESULTS: Six patients underwent percutaneous laser lead extraction. Mean age of the patients was 64±7 years. And four of them were male. A total of 11 leads with a mean age of 92±43.8 months were extracted. Patients presented with painful arm swelling postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Laser lead extraction may lead to symptomatic upper extremity deep venous occlusion.

Postoperative Remote Ischemic Conditioning (RIC) significantly improves entire flap microcirculation beyond 4 hours.

OBJECTIVE: Free flap transfer is a safe and reliable technique for soft tissue reconstruction. However, impaired flap perfusion with consecutive microcirculatory failure leading to partial or total flap failure remains a clinically relevant problem. Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) has been shown to improve microcirculation in adipo-cutaneous tissues in healthy humans as well as in free flaps. Yet, little is known about its effects on different perfusion zones in free flaps and the duration of these effects. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with free perforator-based adipo-cutaneous flap transfer were included in the study. RIC (3 cycles: 10/10 min ischemia/reperfusion) was applied via an inflatable tourniquet placed on the upper arm. Continuous measurement of flaps' microcirculation on postoperative day (POD) 1, 3, and 5 was performed by utilizing an O2C device ("Oxygen-to-see" ©LEA Medizintechnik Germany) during RIC and for the following 4 h. Probes were located both in the flaps' center and on its distal edge. RESULTS: Twenty patients were included in the final analysis. RIC significantly improved flaps' blood flow (BF) by a max. of + 19.6% and oxygen saturation of + 15.7%. Changes affected the entire flap, without significant difference between zones. The increase in flap perfusion could be observed for at least 4 h after the completion of RIC. CONCLUSION: Postoperative application of RIC might serve as an additional treatment to enhance whole flap perfusion and prevent microcirculatory disorders, therefore reducing the risk for potential tissue necrosis, especially in the distal parts of the flaps.

Effectiveness of a flow confirmation study of a central venous port of the upper arm versus the chest wall in patients with suspected system-related mechanical complications.

BACKGROUND: If mechanical complications associated with a central venous port (CVP) system are suspected, evaluation with a flow confirmation study (FCS) using fluorescence fluoroscopy or digital subtraction angiography should be performed. Evaluations of mechanical complications related to CVP of the chest wall using FCS performed via the subclavian vein have been reported. However, the delayed complications of a CVP placed in the upper arm have not been sufficiently evaluated in a large population. We evaluated the effectiveness of FCS of CVPs implanted following percutaneous cannulation of the subclavian (chest wall group) or brachial (upper arm group) vein. METHODS: A CVP was implanted in patients with advanced cancer requiring chemotherapy. FCS was performed if there were complaints suggestive of CVP dysfunction when initiating chemotherapy. RESULTS: CVPs were placed in the brachial vein in 390 patients and in the subclavian vein in 800 patients. FCS was performed in 26/390 (6.7%) patients in the upper arm group and 40/800 (5.0%) patients in the chest wall group. The clinical characteristics of the patients were similar in both groups. The duration of CVP implantation until FCS was significantly shorter in the upper arm group (136 ± 96.6 vs. 284 ± 260, p = 0.022). After FCS, the incidence of CVP removal/reimplantation being deemed unnecessary was higher in the upper arm group (21/26 [80.8%] vs. 26/40 [65.0%], p = 0.27). In the upper arm group, no cases of catheter kinking or catheter-related injury were observed, and the incidence of temporary obstruction because of blood clots that could be continued using CVP was significantly higher than that in the chest wall group (10/26 [38.5%] vs. 4/40 [10.0%], p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: FCS was effective in evaluating CVP system-related mechanical complications and deciding whether removal and reimplantation were required in both groups.

The persistent median artery and its vascular patterns: A meta-analysis of 10,394 subjects.

The presence of a persistent median artery (PMA) has been implicated in the development of compression neuropathies and surgical complications. Due to the large variability in the prevalence of the PMA and its subtypes in the literature, more awareness of its anatomy is needed. The aim of our meta-analysis was to find the pooled prevalence of the antebrachial and palmar persistent median arteries. An extensive search through the major databases was performed to identify all articles and references matching our inclusion criteria. The extracted data included methods of investigation, prevalence of the PMA, anatomical subtype (antebrachial, palmar), side, sex, laterality, and ethnicity. A total of 64 studies (n = 10,394 hands) were included in this meta-analysis. An antebrachial pattern was revealed to be more prevalent than a palmar pattern (34.0% vs. 8.6%). A palmar PMA was reported in 2.6% of patients undergoing surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome when compared to cadaveric studies of adult patients in which the prevalence was 8.6%. Both patterns of PMA are prevalent in a considerable portion of the general population. As the estimated prevalence of the PMA was found to be significantly lower in patients undergoing surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome than those reported in cadaveric studies, its etiological contribution to carpal tunnel syndrome is questionable. Surgeons operating on the forearm and carpal tunnel should understand the anatomy and surgical implications of the PMA and its anatomical patterns.

Arterial blood supply patterning of the mammary sentinel lymph nodes with special reference to the relation of the formation mechanism of the superficial subscapular artery.

This study aimed to conduct a detailed anatomical examination of the arterial supply to level Ib lymph nodes corresponding to mammary sentinel lymph nodes. This was achieved by focusing on the relationship with course changes of the axillary artery trunk using 41 cadavers (49 axillae). The course patterns of the axillary artery were classified as: "Standard type," which penetrate the brachial plexus (occurrence rate, 51%); "Superficial brachial artery type," which ran along the superficial layer of the brachial plexus (2%); "Superficial subscapular artery (SSbsA) type," which entered the deep layer without penetrating the brachial plexus (42.9%); and others (4.1%). The lateral thoracic artery, thoracodorsal artery, inferior pectoral artery, and superficial thoracic artery were distributed in a regular pair relationship according to each running type of the axillary artery for the Ib lymph nodes. Comparing blood supply ratio to the Ib lymph nodes, using SSbsA occurrence as a reference, showed that significant differences were observed with the inferior pectoral artery control for the standard subscapular artery group and the lateral thoracic artery control for the SSbsA group (p < 0.0001). It was suggested that in selective modeling of vascular networks during upper limb developments, two formation tendencies occur. The standard axillary and SSbsA axillary artery trunks are induced when the inferior pectoral artery-derived feeding arteries in the superficial brachial artery system are selected for Ib lymph nodes, or lateral thoracic artery-derived feeding arteries, which are closely related to the SSbsA pathway, are acquired.

Influence of ischemia-reperfusion injury on endothelial function in men and women with similar serum estradiol concentrations.

Prior data suggest that, relative to the early follicular phase, women in the late follicular phase are protected against endothelial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury when estradiol concentrations are highest. In addition, endothelial I/R injury is consistently observed in men with naturally low endogenous estradiol concentrations that are similar to those of women in the early follicular phase. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether the vasodeleterious effect of I/R injury differs between women in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle and age-matched men. We tested the hypothesis that I/R injury would attenuate endothelium-dependent vasodilation to the same extent in women and age-matched men with similar circulating estradiol concentrations. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation was assessed via brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (duplex ultrasound) in young healthy men (n = 22) and women (n = 12) before (pre-I/R) and immediately after (post-I/R) I/R injury, which was induced via 20 min of arm circulatory arrest followed by 20-min reperfusion. Serum estradiol concentrations did not differ between sexes (men 115.0 ± 33.9 pg·mL-1 vs. women 90.5 ± 40.8 pg·mL-1; P = 0.2). The magnitude by which I/R injury attenuated endothelium-dependent vasodilation did not differ between men (pre-I/R 5.4 ± 2.4% vs. post-I/R 3.0 ± 2.7%) and women (pre-I/R 6.1 ± 2.8% vs. post-I/R 3.7 ± 2.7%; P = 0.9). Our data demonstrate that I/R injury similarly reduces endothelial function in women in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle and age-matched men with similar estradiol concentrations.

Damage control of peripheral vascular trauma - Don't be afraid of axillary or popliteal fosses.

Peripheral vascular injuries are uncommon in civilian trauma but can threaten the patient's life or the viability of the limb. The definitive control of the vascular injury represents a surgical challenge, especially if the patient is hemodynamically unstable. This article proposes the management of peripheral vascular trauma following damage control surgery principles. It is essential to rapidly identify vascular injury signs and perform temporary bleeding control maneuvers. The surgical approaches according to the anatomical injured region should be selected. We propose two novel approaches to access the axillary and popliteal zones. The priority should be to reestablish limb perfusion via primary repair or damage control techniques (vascular shunt or endovascular approach). Major vascular surgeries should be managed post-operatively in the intensive care unit, which will allow correction of physiological derangement and identification of those developing compartmental syndrome. All permanent or temporary vascular procedures should be followed by a definitive repair within the first 8 hours. An early diagnosis and opportune intervention are fundamental to preserve the function and perfusion of the extremity.

El trauma vascular periférico no es común en el contexto civil, pero representa una amenaza para la vida del paciente o de la extremidad. El control definitivo de la lesión vascular representa un desafío quirúrgico, especialmente en pacientes con inestabilidad hemodinámica. Este artículo describe la propuesta de manejo del trauma vascular periférico de acuerdo con los principios de la cirugía de control de daños. Se debe identificar los signos sugestivos de lesión vascular y realizar oportunamente maniobras temporales para el control del sangrado. Se debe elegir el abordaje quirúrgico dependiendo del área anatómica lesionada. Se proponen dos nuevas incisiones para acceder a la región axilar y poplítea. La prioridad es restablecer la perfusión de la extremidad mediante el reparo primario o técnicas de control de daños (shunt vascular o abordaje endovascular). Los pacientes sometidos a cirugías vasculares mayores deben ser manejados postoperatoriamente en la unidad de cuidados intensivos para corregir las alteraciones fisiológicas e identificar aquellos que desarrollen un síndrome compartimental. Todos los procedimientos vasculares permanentes o temporales deben contar con un reparo definitivo en las primeras 8 horas. El diagnóstico temprano e intervención oportuna son fundamentales para salvaguardar la perfusión y funcionalidad de la extremidad.

Contemporary Management of Arterial Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Arterial thoracic outlet syndrome (aTOS) is characterized by compression of the subclavian artery as it exits the thoracic girdle. Chronic and repetitive compression leads to several degrees of arterial wall damage. The treatment is varied and depends on the presentation severity. This study aimed to describe the contemporary experience in managing arterial thoracic outlet syndrome at a large tertiary hospital. METHODS: We conducted a single-institution retrospective review of aTOS cases from January 2009 to January 2020. Demographic data, clinical presentation, medical images, operative notes, and outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Thirteen aTOS cases were identified. The mean age was 43 ± 10 years, and 11 (85%) were women. Both sides were equally affected: right (7 cases, 54%) and left (6 cases, 46%). The most common clinical presentation was arm claudication (7 cases, 54%). Other presentations were: acute arm ischemia, pulsatile neck mass and distal embolization. Cervical ribs were identified by plain X-rays in most cases. All patients were submitted to surgical decompression through the supraclavicular approach. Patients with early disease stages were not submitted to arterial reconstruction and were followed with duplex scan. Arterial reconstruction was done in advanced disease stages (5 cases, 38%): end-to-end anastomosis, interposition graft, and bypass graft. The mean follow-up duration was 32,6 ± 25 months. In all patients, the subclavian artery/graft was patent, and the vascular symptoms were entirely resolved. There were no deaths or amputations. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial thoracic outlet syndrome has a varied clinical presentation. Cervical ribs are the most common anatomic abnormalities. The diagnosis was based on history, physical examination, and imaging exams. Surgery consisted of supraclavicular decompression, arterial resection, and vascular reconstruction, according to the disease stage. The outcomes were excellent.

Axillary artery thrombosis resulting in upper limb amputation as a COVID-19 sequela.

Novel COVID-19 continues to intrigue medical professionals with its varied presentations. Though it affects the respiratory tract primarily, thrombogenesis has been the Achilles' heel. A 44-year-old man diagnosed with COVID-19 presented with upper limb pain at a local hospital and was found to have thrombosis of the right axillary artery. Despite a successful embolectomy at the local hospital, there was re-occlusion of the axillary artery and the limb became ischaemic. He was referred to our institution by which time the limb became gangrenous above the elbow and had to be amputated. Extensive sloughing of the nerves was also seen in the local area. Hypercoagulability presenting with various manifestations is common in COVID-19 and needs early anticoagulation. We present this asymptomatic patient who lost a limb to this COVID-19 sequelae.

The Upper-Arm Basilic-Cephalic Loop: A Valueable Alternative for Below-Knee Arterial Reconstruction.

INTRODUCTION: Despite advances of endovascular interventions, bypass surgery remains the gold standard for treatment of long and complex arterial occlusions in the lower limb. Autologous vein is regarded superior to other options. As the graft of first choice, the great saphenous vein (GSV) is often not available due to previous bypass, stripping or poor quality. Other options like arm veins (AV) are important alternatives. As forearm portions of AVs are often unusable, a graft created from the upper arm basilic and cephalic veins provides a valuable alternative. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed consecutive patients treated at an academic tertiary referral center between 01/1998 and 07/2018 using arm veins as the main peripheral bypass graft. Study endpoints were primary patency, secondary patency, limb salvage and survival. RESULTS: In the observed time period 2702 bypass procedures were performed at our institution for below-knee arterial reconstructions. Vein grafts used included the ipsilateral GSV (iGSV; n = 1937/71.7%), contralateral GSV (cGSV; 192/7.1%), small saphenous vein (SSV; 133/4.9%), prosthetic conduits (61/2.3%) and different configurations of AV (379/14%). In the majority of patients receiving AV grafts a complete continuous cephalic or basilic vein (CAV) was used (n = 292/77%). If it was not possible to use major parts of these 2 veins, either spliced arm vein grafts (SAV) (42/11%) or an upper arm basilic-cephalic loop graft (45/12%) were used. Median follow-up was 27 (interquartile range: 8-50) months. After 3 years secondary patency (CAV: 85%; SAV: 62%; loop: 66%; p = 0.125) and limb salvage rates (CAV: 79%, SAV: 68%; loop: 79%; p = 0.346) were similar between the 3 bypass options. CONCLUSION: The encouraging results of alternative AV configurations highlight their value in case the basilic or cephalic veins are not useable in continuity. Especially for infragenual redo-bypass procedures, these techniques should be considered to offer patients durable revascularization options.

International Comparisons of Native Arteriovenous Fistula Patency and Time to Becoming Catheter-Free: Findings From the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS).

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Optimizing vascular access use is crucial for long-term hemodialysis patient care. Because vascular access use varies internationally, we examined international differences in arteriovenous fistula (AVF) patency and time to becoming catheter-free for patients receiving a new AVF. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 2,191 AVFs newly created in 2,040 hemodialysis patients in 2009 to 2015 at 466 randomly selected facilities in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) from the United States, Japan, and EUR/ANZ (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand). PREDICTORS: Demographics, comorbid conditions, dialysis vintage, body mass index, AVF location, and country/region. OUTCOMES: Primary/cumulative AVF patency (from creation), primary/cumulative functional patency (from first use), catheter dependence duration, and mortality. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Outcomes estimated using Cox regression. RESULTS: Across regions, mean patient age ranged from 61 to 66 years, with male preponderance ranging from 55% to 66%, median dialysis vintage of 0.3 to 3.2 years, with 84%, 54%, and 32% of AVFs created in the forearm in Japan, EUR/ANZ, and United States, respectively. Japan displayed superior primary and cumulative patencies due to higher successful AVF use, whereas cumulative functional patency was similar across regions. AVF patency associations with age and other patient characteristics were weak or varied considerably between regions. Catheter-dependence following AVF creation was much longer in EUR/ANZ and US patients, with nearly 70% remaining catheter dependent 8 months after AVF creation when AVFs were not successfully used. Not using an arteriovenous access within 6 months of AVF creation was related to 53% higher mortality in the subsequent 6 months. LIMITATIONS: Residual confounding. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the need to reevaluate practices for optimizing long-term access planning and achievable AVF outcomes, especially AVF maturation. New AVFs that are not successfully used are associated with long-term catheter exposure and elevated mortality risk. These findings highlight the importance of selecting the best access type for each patient and developing effective clinical pathways for when AVFs fail to mature successfully.

Functional and Cardiovascular Parameters in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients with Interarm Blood Pressure Difference.

BACKGROUND: To analyze the impact of interarm blood pressure difference (IAD) on functional and cardiovascular parameters in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). METHODS: Ninety-eight patients with PAD were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Patients with differences between the right and left arms of systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥10 mm Hg were classified as IAD, whereas the remaining patients were classified as PAD control subjects. Functional parameters included were the 6-min walk test, short physical performance battery, walking impairment questionnaire (WIQ), and the walking estimated-limitation calculated by history. Systemic cardiovascular parameters included were arterial stiffness and heart rate variability. Local cardiovascular parameters assessed in both arms were brachial blood pressure and flow-mediated dilation. RESULTS: Patients with IAD presented higher systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure compared with control patients (P < 0.01). The carotid femoral pulse wave velocity tended to be higher and flow-mediated dilation tended to be lower in PAD patients with IAD compared with control subjects (P < 0.09). Patients with IAD presented lower scores in short physical performance battery (P = 0.012), WIQ distance (P = 0.003), WIQ speed (P = 0.008), WIQ stair climbing (P = 0.034), and walking estimated-limitation calculated by history (P = 0.026) when compared with PAD control patients. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with PAD, IAD is associated with lower physical function and impairments in cardiovascular parameters compared with PAD patients without IAD.

Arm Vein versus Small Saphenous Vein for Lower Extremity Bypass in the Absence of Both Great Saphenous Veins.

BACKGROUND: Bypass surgery remains the gold standard for long and complex arterial occlusions in the lower limb. The vein is regarded superior to prosthetic conduits in peripheral arterial bypass surgery. However, this option is often limited because of previous bypass, stripping, or poor quality of the ipsilateral and/or contralateral great saphenous vein (GSV). Under these circumstances, the arm vein (AV) and small saphenous vein (SSV) are the only alternative autologous vein grafts. METHODS: We analyzed all consecutive patients treated at an academic tertiary referral center between January 1998 and July 2018 using either the AV or SSV as the main peripheral bypass graft. Study end points were primary patency, secondary patency, limb salvage, and survival. RESULTS: In total, 416 bypass procedures using exclusively AV (n = 327) or SSV (n = 89) were performed. There was a predominance of male gender. The majority of risk factors were evenly distributed between groups. The mean follow-up period was 2.3 years (0.9 to 13.3 years). Five-year primary and secondary patency rates were 39% (95% CI: 31-47%) and 67% (59-75%) for AV and 53% (41-66%) and 76% (67-86%) for SSV, respectively (P = 0.2 and 0.25). The five-year limb salvage and survival rates were 71% (68-81%) and 84% (77-90%) for AV and 78% (67-88%) and 90% (82-98%) for SSV, respectively (P = 0.52 and 0.11). CONCLUSIONS: Both AV and SSV are equally effective alternatives for peripheral bypass if no GSV is available. Although there was a trend toward better results with the SSV, there was no significant difference between the 2 options.

Management challenges of a large upper extremity vascular malformation in a patient with capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation syndrome.

We describe a 17-year-old boy with capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation syndrome and a massive vascular malformation of the right chest wall, shoulder, and upper arm. Persistent growth of the malformation caused cutaneous ulcerations and recurrent massive bleeding episodes. We proceeded with a modified shoulder disarticulation preceded by ligation of the subclavian artery and innominate vein by median sternotomy. After a staged debulking resection of the residual chest wall arteriovenous malformation with rotational transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap coverage, the patient was discharged home safely. This report demonstrates that a multidisciplinary approach is critical for management of life-threatening complications in capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation patients.

Upper Arm Arteriovenous Grafts are Superior over Forearm Arteriovenous Grafts in Upper Extremity Dialysis Access.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we compared the outcomes of forearm arteriovenous grafts (AVGs) and upper arm AVGs in a large, prospectively collected data set, which represents real-world experience with upper extremity prosthetic dialysis access, to determine if there are clinically significant differences in the upper arm and forearm positions. METHODS: We identified 2,063 patients who received upper extremity AVGs within the Vascular Quality Initiative data set (2010-2018). Axillary to axillary upper arm AVGs were excluded (n = 394) from the analysis. The main outcome measures were primary and secondary patency rates at 12 months. Other outcomes were 6-month wound infection, steal syndrome, and arm swelling. The log-rank test was used to evaluate patency loss using a Kaplan-Meier analysis. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine adjusted association between locations (forearm and upper arm) and outcomes. RESULTS: There were 1,160 forearm AVGs and 509 upper arm brachial artery AVGs in the study cohort. Patients with forearm AVGs were more likely to have a body mass index > 30 (45% vs. 38%, P = 0.013), no history of previous access (73% vs. 63%, P < 0.001), and underwent local-regional anesthesia (56% vs. 43%, P < 0.001). The 12-month primary patency (51.5% vs. 62.9%, P < 0.001) and secondary patency (76.4% vs. 89.1%, P < 0.001) were significantly lower for forearm AVGs. Wound infection, steal syndrome, and arm swelling were similar between forearm AVGs and upper arm AVGs at the 6-month follow-up. In multivariable analysis, the primary patency loss (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33-2.01, P < 0.001) and 12-month secondary patency loss (aHR 2.71, 95% CI 1.84-3.98, P < 0.001) were significantly higher for forearm AVGs at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: From this observational study of the Vascular Quality Initiative data set, the primary and secondary patency rates were superior for upper arm brachial artery AVGs compared with forearm AVGs.

Considerations for Long-Term Dialysis Access in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

BACKGROUND: Renal dysfunction, requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) is commonly encountered in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). Continuous flow LVAD (CFLVAD) is the most widely used device. Nonpulsatile blood flow begets special hemodynamic changes. This poses a unique challenge in choosing a long-term dialysis access for patients with CFLVAD where life expectancy is limited. METHODS: A 61-year-old man with an implanted CFLVAD and renal dysfunction receiving intermittent RRT through a nontunneled dialysis catheter had progressed to dialysis-dependent renal failure. He was referred to us for a permanent hemodialysis access. RESULTS: The patient underwent a right brachio-brachial arterio-venous graft (AVG) placement. The graft was successfully cannulated for hemodialysis on postoperative day 15. On regular follow-up at 18 months, the graft was still functional. CONCLUSIONS: Dialysis access for patients on LVAD is an exceptional management problem owing to both altered physiology and guarded overall prognosis. We recommend the use of AVG as a convenient and durable option-facilitating early cannulation and expediting freedom from indwelling catheters that may lead to catastrophic consequences. This should limit the need for secondary interventions, hospitalization, and cost, thus improving quality of life.