Patency rates of dysfunctional central hemodialysis venous catheter: Comparison between catheter exchange alone and catheter exchange with fibrin sheath angioplasty.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to compare patency rates and risk of obstruction of catheter exchange (CE) with that of CE with fibrin sheath angioplasty (CE+FSA) in dysfunctional tunneled central hemodialysis venous catheter (CHVC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 107 consecutive patients with dysfunctional CHVC were retrospectively included. There were 66 men and 41 women with a mean age of 67.8±12.5 (SD) years (range: 23.0-86.0 years). Seventy-three of 107 patients (68.2%) underwent CE procedure and 34 of 107 (31.8%) underwent CE+FSA. Kaplan-Meier log-rank test and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to determine patency rates and risk of obstruction according to type of endovascular procedure.

RESULTS

Patency rates after endovascular procedures at 3, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months follow up were 75%, 75%, 65%, 65% and 65% in CE+FSA group and 70%, 65%, 62%, 30% and 0% in CE group. Mean time until obstruction of CHVC was 778.4 days after CE+FSA and 497 days after CE (P=0.211). Endovascular procedure was unrelated to risk of obstruction in adjusted model (HR=1.34; P=0.515).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that both techniques are equivalent in terms of patency and safety results, so other aspects as cost assessment should be considered when choosing between both techniques.