Georgakarakos Efstratios I, Kapoulas Konstantinos C, Georgiadis George S, Tsangaris Adamantios S, Nikolopoulos Evagelos S, Lazarides Miltos K
Department of Vascular Surgery, "Democritus" University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
J Vasc Access. 2012 Jul-Sep;13(3):271-8. doi: 10.5301/jva.5000037.
Upper limb vein aneurysms complicate all types of autogenous arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) and comprise false aneurysms secondary to venipuncture trauma as well as true aneurysms, characterized by dilatation of native veins. The dilatation of a normal vein and the development of a true aneurysm are strongly influenced by local hemodynamic factors affecting the flow in the drainage venous system and are also the target of operative interventions. This review article focuses on the description of these hemodynamic aspects which all physicians involved in the management of dialysis patients should be aware of. Furthermore, it delineates their complicated interactions and also highlights their utility in clinical decision-making and therapeutic management.
