Interventional nephrology in Puerto Rico: a four year experience.

Puerto Rico is one of the most prevalent areas covered by Medicare in need of renal replacement therapy for which interventional procedures are performed. A cumulative analysis of this management is reported in patients during the period between June 2007 and August 2010. Experience accumulated with 3755 surgical patients revealed that 58% had intravascular catheters, 28% had arteriovenous fistulas, 15% had arteriovenous grafts, and 2% without vascular access. Procedures performed in these patients were: catheter introduction in 1990 cases (33%), angioplasty in 751 cases (20%), angiography in 450 cases (12%), thrombectomy in 413 cases (11%) and venous mapping in 151 cases (4%). The success rates of these procedures were evaluated by analysis of the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) criteria for Lifeline Vascular Access. Using SIR definition of success rate for at least one session that includes "declots", placement of catheters and angioplasty, our results revealed an average of 98.2% overall success rate greater than the standard value KDOQI/SIR (> 85% ). This study has documented for four years the success rate of Vascular Interventional Nephrology Center at Auxilio Mutuo Hospital. In order to maintain this success rate is necessary to further evaluate its effectiveness and, most importantly, the development of an educational program for vascular access in patients with chronic kidney disease prior to placement in dialysis units.