Challenges to preserve vascular access functioning after surgical correction for arteriovenous access ischemic steal in hemodialysis patients: A single-center study.

Background and aims: Arteriovenous access ischemic steal (AVAIS) is a rare complication that causes morbidity and threatens hemodialysis access usability in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). This study aimed to determine the incidence of AVAIS over a 15-year period and assess the access usability after surgical correction.

Methods: Access operations between January 2007 and August 2022 at Helsinki University Hospital were reviewed. Demographics, clinical, duplex, and contrast examinations with brachial artery volume flows, finger pressures, and delays to surgery were evaluated. Symptom relief, complications, access closures/re-interventions, primary, secondary, and functional patencies were assessed. Endpoints were permanent cessation of access use due to complication(s), transplantation, closure, definitive occlusion, or death.

Results: Among 2914 access-related operations, the overall incidence of AVAIS was 2.2%. At the first vascular consultation 52% had ulcer(s) or gangrene(s) resulting in 28 direct closures, and 30 corrections as follows: 20 proximalization of arterial inflow (PAI), 6 flow reduction procedures, 2 distal revascularization with interval ligation (DRIL), 1 distal radial artery ligation (DRAL), and 1 venous bypass. The median time from consultation to surgery was 18 days (range: 0-348 days) for direct closures and 43 days (0-170 days) for corrective surgery. The functional patencies after correction were 60% at 1 year and 55% at 2 years; the primary patencies were 45% and 28% and secondary patencies 61% and 57%, respectively. The functional patencies after PAI were 41% and 31%, respectively.

Conclusion: In AVAIS, access preservation is challenging in ESKD patients with multiple diseases. Attention should be paid to the original choice of vascular access by considering each patient's risks. Delay to vascular consultation and intervention should be minimized. PAI should be reserved for selected patients when no other option is preferable.