Anastomotic intimal hyperplasia in prosthetic arteriovenous fistulas for hemodialysis is associated with initial high flow velocity and not with mismatch in elastic properties.

Stenotic intimal thickening at the venous end of prosthetic arteriovenous (AV) fistulas for hemodialysis has been associated with perianastomotic mismatch in elastic properties, and low shear rates. In a prospective way, the role of these factors on the occurrence of intimal hyperplasia in prosthetic AV fistulas in hemodialysis patients was investigated. In 24 hemodialysis patients, the elastic properties were assessed in the distal graft segment and the outflow vein postoperatively with the use of Vessel Wall Doppler Tracking (VWDT), a noninvasive ultrasound technique. In addition, normalized peak systolic velocity (nPSV) was calculated from diameter (VWDT) and peak systolic velocity. The initial mismatch around the venous anastomoses and local nPSV were correlated with the occurrence of stenoses during follow-up (2 yr). The detection of a stenosis was performed with both Duplex ultrasound and angiography. In four cases, a stenosis developed in the venous anastomosis; in eight cases, a stenosis developed in the venous outflow segment; and in four cases, stenoses developed at both sites. A better initial match in elastic properties around the venous anastomosis was observed in the fistulas developing a stenosis at this site as compared with the nonstenotic fistulas (P < 0.05). The initial local nPSV values at the site of the later stenosis were higher in the fistulas developing a stenosis as compared with the nonstenotic fistulas (P < 0.05). It was concluded that the occurrence of stenoses in prosthetic AV fistulas for hemodialysis in or adjacent to the venous anastomoses is associated with a high initial flow velocity but not with a mismatch in elastic properties.