ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To compare the primary patency and restenosis rates in treatment naieve dialysis arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) after drug-coated balloons (DCB) versus plain balloon angioplasty (PTA). METHODS: This retrospective study included 157 patients who underwent AVF angioplasty for treatment-native AVF stenosis between January 2012 to 2022. The fistulas were Brachiocephalic (75%), Brachiobasilic (17%), and radiocephalic (8%). The index intervention was with either DCB or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with subsequent follow up. Patients with central venous stenosis, thrombosed fistula, fistula stents, AV graft or surgical intervention after the index procedure were excluded. RESULTS: Arteriovenous fistula angioplasty was done in 28 patients using DCB and in 129 patients using PTA. A total of 108 patients presented with a single stenosis, 42 with 2 stenoses, and 7 with 3 stenoses. The location of these stenoses was in the venous outflow (57%), the juxta anastomotic segment (31%), and cephalic arch (12%). The median time to re-intervention for the PTA was 216 days compared to 304 days for the DCB (p=0.079). Primary patency at 6 months was 60.4% for PTA and 75% for DCB (p=0.141) CONCLUSION: Although DCB angioplasty of treatmentnaïve dysfunctional AVF tends to improve the time to intervention and 6-month primary patency compared to PTA, this difference did not reach statistical significance.