Most complex brachiocephalic vein occlusion in hemodialysis patients can be treated with simple endovascular techniques in an office-based angiosuite.

OBJECTIVE: Brachiocephalic vein (BCV) obstruction can cause dialysis access dysfunction and failure. Central vein stenosis involving the BCV may require advanced endovascular procedures. We report that most BCV occlusions can be treated using simple endovascular techniques on an outpatient basis. METHODS: From January 2009 to January 2022, 115 hemodialysis patients underwent BCV endovascular revascularization. Seventy-three of the initial procedures were performed in an office-based angiosuite. Indications for the procedure were BCV occlusion endangering the performance of a previous arm access or making the creation of a new arm access unadvisable. We recorded and analyzed risk factors and procedural results, patency rates, complications, and mortality. RESULTS: The median age was 62 years (range, 23-91 years); 56% were female. Most prevalent associated conditions were diabetes mellitus (61%) and hypertension (68%). Fifty-six patients (48.7%) presented with severe upper extremity edema ipsilateral to the side of pre-existing functioning access. Obstruction recanalization was effective using standard catheter and wire in 106 cases (92.1%) and transseptal needle in nine cases (7.8%), that included seven using inside-out procedure. Initial management of the BCV stenosis was percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty alone in 74 patients (64.3%), stenting in 33 (28.7%), and HeRO conduit in eight cases (7%). Treatment of other central venous lesions included 49 cases (42.6%). The procedure was successful in 99.1% of patients. No intraoperative complications occurred. All 92 patients with previous arm access maintained adequate performance (100%). In 22 of 23 patients (95.6%), new upper extremity access creation was effectively performed after the venous intervention. Overall clinical success rate was 92%. The mean postoperative monitoring was 23 months, the median was 12 months, and the range was 1 to 84 months. During this monitoring period, 266 endovascular procedures, 91% in the office and 9% in the hospital, were required to preserve access performance. Eventually, 49 patients (42.6%) were stented. Eleven patients (9.56%) had infections, and six required complete access removal. Other causes of access failure included two patients with central vein thrombosis and one with massive pulmonary embolus. At the end, nine patients (7.8%) had access failure. Thirty-two patients (27.8%) died of unrelated causes during the follow-up period. Seventy-six patients (66%) have maintained functional access. Kaplan-Meier curves determined median primary patency of 9.6 months, median primary assisted patency of 56.2 months, and secondary patency of 75% at 80 months. CONCLUSIONS: Successful endovascular revascularization of BCV obstruction can be treated safely, with simple endovascular techniques in an office-based context with minor complication rates and durable results.

Long Term Results of Bypass Graft to the Right Atrium in the Management of Superior Vena Cava Syndrome in Dialysis Patients.

BACKGROUND: Superior vena cava (SVC) occlusion in dialysis patients is a serious complication that can cause SVC syndrome and vascular access dysfunction. While endovascular therapy has advanced to become the first line of treatment, open surgical treatment may still be needed occasionally. However, no long term outcome data has been previously reported. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 5 dialysis patients treated with bypass graft to the right atrium from 2012 to 2014. Four patients had severe dysfunction of their upper arm dialysis access as well as superior vena cava syndrome, and one patient with a femoral tunneled dialysis catheter (TDC) had SVC occlusion. None of the patients were candidates for lower extremity access creation or peritoneal dialysis (PD). Three patients underwent a left brachiocephalic-right atrial bypass and 2 underwent a bypass from the cephalic fistula to the right atrium. RESULTS: All procedures were technically successful and maintained function of the arteriovenous fistulas or allowed creation of a new upper extremity dialysis graft. One-year secondary patency rate of the bypass was 100%. Longer follow up revealed that one patient died of leg sepsis and another one of a stroke within 14 months after the procedure. Another patient did well for 16 months when recurrent graft thrombosis occurred; and ultimately the graft failed after 31 months despite multiple interventions. Two patients maintained bypass graft patency during a follow up of 78 months; however, they underwent multiple endovascular interventions (23) and open vascular access procedures (4) to maintain hemodialysis function. CONCLUSION: Bypass grafts to the right atrium in dialysis patients with SVC occlusion are successful in maintaining function of already existing vascular access or new ones. Long term secondary patency can be achieved but requires strict follow up and a proactive endovascular strategy to treat lesions in the access and or the bypass graft.

Management of Superior Vena Cava Occlusion Causing Bleeding "Downhill" Esophageal Varices.

The health care system in Peru treats 15,000 dialysis patients annually. Approximately 45% of patients receive therapy using catheters. The incidence of catheter-induced superior vena cava (SVC) occlusion is increasing along with its associated significant morbidity and vascular access dysfunction. One of the unusual manifestations of this complication is bleeding "downhill" esophageal varices caused by reversal of blood flow through esophageal veins around the obstruction to the right atrium. Herein is presented the case of an 18-year-old woman on hemodialysis complicated by SVC occlusion and bleeding esophageal varices who underwent successful endovascular recanalization of the SVC. Bleeding from "downhill" esophageal varices should be considered in the differential diagnosis of dialysis patients exposed to central venous catheters. Aggressive endovascular treatment of SVC occlusion is recommended to preserve upper extremity access function and prevent bleeding from this complication.

Endovascular treatment of type 3 and 4 thoracic central vein obstruction in hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: Thoracic central vein (TCV) obstruction (TCVO) in the presence of upper extremity (UE) hemodialysis access can present as superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) and cause vascular access dysfunction and failure. We report the techniques and results of endorevascularization of TCVO in hemodialysis patients, which allowed for long-term functioning vascular access in the UE. METHODS: From June 2009 to February 2020, 45 hemodialysis patients underwent TCV endorevascularization. The indications for surgery were TCVO or SVCS that threatened the function of a preexisting upper arm access or contraindicated placement of a new upper arm access. Conventional endovascular techniques were used when feasible. Patients with unfavorable anatomy were treated using a transseptal needle to cross difficult intrathoracic stenosis and occlusions or to facilitate an inside-out central venous access technique. The reestablishment of venous outflow was accomplished with angioplasty, stenting, and/or placement of HeRO conduits. Successful revascularization was followed by hemodialysis access revision or a new UE access placement. We recorded the risk factors and procedural outcomes, patency rates, complications, and mortality. RESULTS: The mean age was 53 ± 16.3 years, and 51% were women. The most common risk factors were diabetes mellitus (64.2%) and hypertension (56%). Twenty-five patients (55.5%) had symptoms of SVCS. These symptoms resolved after the TCV procedure in all cases. Crossing of the TCV lesion was successful using a conventional catheter and wire in 26 cases (57.8%) and transseptal needle in 17 cases (37.8%), including 12 using an inside-out central venous access technique. Treatment of the TCV lesion included a HeRO conduit in 20 cases (44.4%), stenting in 17 (37.7%), and transluminal balloon angioplasty alone in 7 (15.5%). Other veins were treated in 33 cases (73.3%). The overall technical success rate was 95.5%. Two intraoperative complications occurred, including one case of severe hypotension and one of fatal cardiac tamponade. Of the 16 patients with preexisting UE access, its function was preserved in all 16 (100%). In 24 of 27 patients (85.7%), new arm access was successfully created after the TCV procedure. The overall clinical success rate was 88.9%. The average follow-up was 663.4 days (median, 507 days; range, 0-2679 days). During follow-up, 26 patients had undergone 90 procedures to maintain access function, 21 had undergone repeat endovascular interventions, and 17 had undergone open procedures. Eight patients (17.8%) had developed infection, five involving HeRO conduits that required excision with loss of access. During the follow-up period, 14 patients (31%) had died of unrelated causes, and 34 patients (75.5%) maintained functional access. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study have shown that endorevascularization of TCVO reconstruction is effective in maintaining function or allowing the creation of UE hemodialysis access, with acceptable complication rates.

Novel Reconstruction of Complex Central Venous Occlusion Using Supraclavicular Stent Graft in Hemodialysis Patients.

BACKGROUND: Subclavian vein and brachiocephalic vein occlusions are challenging problems in dialysis patients with ipsilateral upper extremity (UE) vascular access or in need of one. HeRO grafts (Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow, Merit Medical Systems, Inc, South Jordan, UT) have been used to manage such occlusions but patients with chronic hypotension treated with HeRO graft may have threatened patency. We describe an alternative technique using a supraclavicular stent graft to reconstruct the venous outflow, evaluate outcomes of this procedure, and discuss its role in complex hemodialysis patients. METHODS: From January 2019 to January 2020, we performed open surgical and endovascular dialysis access procedures in 297 patients. Eight patients (2.7%) with failing or failed access and subclavian and or brachiocephalic vein occlusion were treated with supraclavicular stent graft placement. Mean age was 52 years, ranging from 32 to 70. Five patients had failed access and were dialyzed using catheters (two femoral). Three patients with failing fistulas had severe arm edema. Two patients had recurrent HeRO graft thrombosis. We performed a retrospective review of these 8 patients and evaluated access patency and complications. RESULTS: Technical success and access function were 100% in all patients. One patient developed ischemic neuropathy and underwent proximalization of the arterial inflow with improvement. Already-existing fistulas were used for dialysis the day after the procedure and new grafts within 2-4 weeks. Arm edema resolved within one week after the procedure. Median follow-up was 254.5 days, range 24-408 days, with primary patency rate of 87.5% and secondary patency rate of 100%. Only one patient has required reintervention. Postoperative evaluation with ultrasound has revealed patent stent graft in the area of the subcutaneous cervical tunnel over the clavicle. CONCLUSIONS: Supraclavicular stent graft placement to a central vein can be used successfully to reconstruct venous outflow in hemodialysis patients with complex central vein occlusions. A supraclavicular extra-anatomic path can be used safely and effectively to place new UE vascular access or salvage threatened access in this challenging patient population.

Radial artery access for peripheral endovascular procedures.

OBJECTIVE: The radial artery is often used for coronary angiography, with a demonstrated decrease in local complications and an increase in postoperative mobility of the patient. Data on radial artery access for peripheral endovascular procedures, however, are limited. We describe our experience with radial artery access for diagnostic and endovascular interventions. METHODS: Between February 2012 and March 2015, there were 95 endovascular procedures performed using radial artery access in 80 unique patients. Demographic and clinical data were recorded. Perioperative, postoperative, and 30-day follow-up data were evaluated retrospectively for major and minor complications. Major adverse events included any immediate hospitalization admission, stroke, hand amputation, bleeding requiring transfusion, hematoma requiring surgery, and death. Minor complications included superficial bleeding and hematoma. RESULTS: The patients (52.6% male, 47.4% female) had a mean age of 72.1 ± 9.4 years. Radial artery access was used for diagnostic purposes in 15.8% of all procedures and for therapeutic intervention, including angioplasty and stenting, in 84.2%. The radial artery was the only access point in 80% of patients and was accessed in conjunction with other sites in 20%. Percutaneous access was achieved in 100% of patients with a 100% technical success rate. Hemostasis after catheterization was achieved by manual compression (22.1%) and TR band (Terumo Medical, Tokyo, Japan; 77.9%). Major adverse events occurred in three cases (3.2%) and were unrelated to radial artery access. Radial artery access site-related complications occurred in three cases (3.2%), all of which were minor hematomas that required no treatment. The risk of radial artery complication was not associated with procedure type, vessels treated, or use of heparin. The incidence of stroke, hand ischemia, and upper extremity limb or finger loss was 0%. CONCLUSIONS: Radial artery access for peripheral endovascular procedures appears to be safe and effective and should be considered more often. Complication rates are lower than those reported for femoral artery access.

Mycotic aneurysm of the internal carotid artery--a case report.

Extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) mycotic aneurysms are rare entities that may result in significant neurologic morbidity and mortality. Several operative techniques have been described in the literature for the management of this difficult condition. This case report describes a contained ruptured mycotic aneurysm of the extracranial ICA associated with Proteus mirabilis infection successfully treated by an end-to-end spatulated interposition saphenous vein graft.