Midterm Results of Tunneled Catheter Placement in Hemodialysis Patients with Central Venous Stenosis or Occlusion

Abstract

Background:Patients who suffers from central venous occlusion (CVO) or central venous stenosis (CVS) with no options for vascular access (VA) need urgent HD.Purpose: To evaluate CVO or CVS endovascular veinoplasty through an occluded access site to insert tunnelled catheter for HD.Patients and methods: Patients included had no options for VA and had CVO or CVS.Results: 124 patients on HD had endovascular veinoplasty. Technical success was 100% and 79% for CVS and CVO. Mean follow-up period was 36.16±12.6 months. Primary catheter site patency was 70%, 40%, 20%, and 5% after one, two, three, and four years. Assisted primary catheter site patency was 77%, 45%, 27%, and 12% and access vein survival was 100%, 80%, 40%, and 15% respectively at one, two, three, and four years, respectively. Conclusion:Recanalizing occluded veins for catheter insertion is simple, cost-effective, and safe.