Purpose: To assess the use of endovascular stents for treating rupture after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in the maintenance of hemodialysis grafts.
Materials and methods: From February 1, 1994, to August 1, 1997, 683 hemodialysis-related angioplasty procedures were performed on 277 patients to treat thrombosed or poorly functioning polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) hemodialysis bridge grafts. In each of these procedures, angioplasty of the venous anastomosis or the outflow vein was performed. This study is a retrospective review to analyze uncovered endovascular stents placed to treat ruptures after PTA.
Results: Fourteen ruptures were treated with use of an uncovered metal stent. Stent placement was technically successful in 11 of 14 patients, with clinical success in 11 of 14 cases. The primary patencies at 30, 60, 90, and 120 days were calculated by means of Kaplan-Meier life-table analysis; these were 63%, 54%, 46%, and 46%, respectively. The secondary patencies at 60, 120, and 180 days were 85%, 75%, and 75%, respectively. No complications were attributable to stent placement. The results are comparable to those of stents placed for reasons other than rupture, and support the efficacy of their use for this indication.
Conclusion: Endovascular stent placement is a safe and effective means of salvaging angioplasty-induced rupture that occurs during the treatment of hemodialysis grafts.