In patients with unreconstructable arterial occlusive disease distal venous arterialization (DVA) seems to be a promising option in the treatment. The goals of this prospective study were to assess clinical efficiency and possible impact of DVA on tissue damage by estimating oxidative status of patients with critical limb ischemia treated with this procedure. The subjects were 60 randomized patients: 30 were undergoing DVA and 30 were treated with antiaggregation therapy. During the mean follow-up period (6.13 ± 4.32 months for DVA vs. 6.74 ± 0.5 months for antiaggregation therapy) survival (p < 0.01), limb salvage (p < 0.001), pain relief (p < 0.001) and wound healing (p < 0.001) rates were significantly different between the two groups of patients in favor of the DVA group. Ten minutes after declamping we observed a decreasing trend in the lactate level in the blood of the deep venous system (p < 0.001). Also, on postoperative day 7 digital systolic pressure and digital-brachial index were higher than before the operation (p < 0.001). In blood samples collected immediately before and successively at 1, 3, 5 and 10 min postoperatively, prooxidative status (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, O₂^–, H₂O₂ and nitric oxide) and antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase) were determined spectrophotometrically. Using the nonparametric Friedman test, we noted statistically nonsignificant differences (p > 0.05) in values of both prooxidative parameters and enzymes of the antioxidative defense system, before and successively at 1, 3, 5 and 10 min after operation. These results indicate that there was no statistically significant reperfusion injury after revascularization, which could have been expected after this surgical procedure, thus confirming its validity in these patients.

This prospective randomized study reported early results of the treatment of 36 unreconstructable patients with critical lower limb ischemia. The patients were divided into two groups: 12 were treated with distal venous arterialization (DVA) and 24 were conservatively (CT) using antiplatelet drugs. There were seven men and five women with an average age 64.3 ± 9.9 in DVA and 13 men and 11 women with a average age 67.1 ± 10.8 in CT groups of patients. The aim of this study was to estimate the validity of DVA as the limb salvage procedure. During the period of monitoring, morbidity and mortality rates were 50 and 0 per cent at DVA versus a mortality rate in the CT group of 33.3 per cent ( P < 0.05). The mean follow-up period for DVA was 4.8 ± 3.9 months (range, 1 to 14 months) versus 4.9 ± 2.4 months (range, 1 to 9 months) for the CT group ( P > 0.05). Graft patency was 83.3 per cent with two early graft thromboses. There were significant differences between the two groups in limb salvage (91.7% DVA vs 12.5% CT, P < 0.001), pain relief (75% DVA vs 8.3% CT, P < 0.001), and wound healing rates (77.8% DVA vs 0% CT, P < 0.001). Lactate level in the blood of deep venous system after repeated measuring was significantly decreased after the multivariate analysis of variance method was applied (F = 7.691, P < 0.01). Hemodynamic parameters such as systolic digital pressure and digitobrachial systolic pressure index were increased after revascularization using Student's t test ( P < 0.001). The DVA may improve the outcome of the treatment of the patients for whom the conventional bypass procedure mainly was not possible.

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The types of vascular accesses for hemodialysis (HD) include the native arteriovenous fistula (AVF), arteriovenous graft (AVG) and central venous catheter (CVC). Adequately matured native AVF is the best choice for HD patients and a high percentage of its presence is the goal of every nephrologist and vascular surgeon. This paper analyses the number and type of vascular accesses for HD performed over a 10-year period at the Clinical Center of Serbia, and presents the factors of importance for the creation of such a high number of successful native AVF (over 80%). Such a result is, inter alia, the consequence of the appointment of the Vascular Access Coordinator, whose task was to improve the quality of care of blood vessels in the predialysis period as well as of functional vascular accesses, and to promote the cooperation among different specialists within the field. Vascular access is the "lifeline"for HD patients. Thus, its successful planning, creation and monitoring of vascular access is a continuous process that requires the collaboration and cooperation of the patient, nephrologist, vascular surgeon, radiologist and medical personnel.

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