Analysis of nonpenetrating clips versus sutures for arterial venous graft anastomosis

Economic evaluation of suture versus clip anastomosis in arteriovenous fistula creation

OBJECTIVE

Techniques such as the use of nonpenetrating vascular clips for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) anastomotic creation have been developed in an effort to reduce fistula-related complications. However, the outcomes data for the use of clips have remained equivocal, and the cost evaluations to support their use have been largely theoretical. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine both the clinical and the cost outcomes of AVFs created with nonpenetrating vascular clips compared with the continuous suture technique during a 10-year period at a single institution.

METHODS

All patients undergoing AVF creation in the upper extremity from 2009 through 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patient demographics and AVF outcomes were collected and compared stratified by the surgical technique used. A cost analysis was performed of a subgroup of patients from 2013 to 2018.

RESULTS

During the 10-year study period, 916 AVFs were created (79% using the continuous suture technique and 21% using nonpenetrating vascular clips). Patient demographics and comorbid conditions did not differ between the two groups, and no differences were present in maturation, primary patency, assisted primary patency, or complication rates between the two groups at 1 year. The suture group had a shorter time to maturation (4.3 months vs 5.5 months; P < .01) and improved secondary patency compared with the clip group (77.13% vs 69.59%; P = .03) The cost analysis of the procedures revealed a significant difference in direct costs (suture, $1389.26 vs clip, $1716.51; P < .01) and contribution margin (suture, $1770.19 vs clip, $1128.36; P < .01) for the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Both suture and clip techniques in AVF creation demonstrated equivalent rates of maturation, primary patency, assisted primary patency, and complications at 1 year with higher expense associated with the use of clips. Thus, in an effort to reduce the economic burden of healthcare in the United States, the findings from the present study support the preferential use of the standard polypropylene suture technique when creating upper extremity AVFs.

Anastomotic Strategies to Improve Hemodialysis Access Patency—A Review

The number of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who require maintenance hemodialysis has risen sharply in the past 2 decades. It is estimated that more than 60% of all patients with ESRD who require chronic hemodialysis are accessed through an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) or graft (AVG), and the incidence is increasing at a rate of 2% to 4% per year. The long-term patency rate of an upper extremity AVF or AVG for hemodialysis access remains suboptimal owing in part to progressive stenosis at the venous anastomosis. This article reviews the causative factors of dialysis access-related anastomotic stenosis, or intimal hyperplasia. This article also reviews the clinical experience of various anastomotic strategies to ameliorate the hemodynamic environment in an effort to improve the clinical outcome of hemodialysis access. These strategies include the use of (1) vein cuff at the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE)-venous anastomosis of AVG, (2) cuffed ePTFE dialysis AVG, and (3) anastomotic devices that create an interrupted anastomosis with staples or clips.

Five years' world experience with nonpenetrating clips for vascular anastomoses

BACKGROUND

A new sutureless technique has been introduced clinically to facilitate the process of vascular reconstruction and improve patency. The Vessel Closure System (VCS) is nonpenetrating, creates an elastomeric everted anastomosis, and is easily and reproducibly applied. The objective of this report is to review the published world experience that has accrued regarding these clips with attention to the assets, liabilities, and pitfalls associated with the new technology.

DATA SOURCES

Medline search and manual cross-referencing were performed, after which 61 original articles were identified on the use of VCS clips for vascular anastomoses.

RESULTS

Advantages of the clips compared with sutures include the technical ease of application, the reduced anastomotic time, the superior hemodynamics, and the improved healing pattern of the anastomosis. Disadvantages include the potential problems in atherosclerotic vessels, lack of prospective randomized long-term follow-up, and initial costs. The best clinical results have been achieved in microvascular repair, as well as with vascular access and transplantation surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The VCS clip technology has become an accepted vascular anastomosing technique, which in future could lead to the use of clips as a standard approach and the use of sutures only in case of severe atherosclerosis and other circumstances in which vessel edges are difficult to evert.

A prospective evaluation of interrupted nitinol surgical clips in arteriovenous fistula for hemodialysis

BACKGROUND

The use of a self-closing nitinol surgical clip (Coalescent Surgical U-Clip) is a novel technique of creating an interrupted vascular anastomosis, which also eliminates the knot tying associated with a conventional vascular anastomosis. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical outcome of arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) for hemodialysis as constructed using interrupted U-Clip devices and conventional continuous polypropylene sutures.

METHODS

We prospectively studied the clinical course of 132 patients (149 access) undergoing either forearm autologous arteriovenous fistula (FAVF, n = 69) or upper arm autologous arteriovenous fistula (UAVF, n = 80) or creations during a 39-month period. Among the FAVF, U-Clips and polypropylene sutures were used in 37 and 32 anastomoses, respectively. Among the UAVF, U-Clips and polypropylene sutures were used in 41 and 30 anastomoses, respectively. Primary patency, complication, and maturation rates were analyzed.

RESULTS

Clipped FAVF had an improved maturation rate at 6 weeks (32 of 37, 86%) when compared with sutured FAVF (22 of 32, 69%, P <0.05). There was no difference in the maturation rate among UAVF constructed with either U-Clips or sutures (88% versus 87%, not significant). The primary patency rates at 12, 24, and 36 months were 91%, 84%, and 75% for the clipped FAVF; and 83%, 74%, and 61% for the sutured FAVF (P <0.05) There was no difference in the patency rate of UAVF constructed with either U-Clips or polypropylene sutures at either 12, 24 or 36 moths (91%, 80%, and 75% versus 83%, 77%, and 69%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The U-Clips are a viable alternative to sutures for creating vascular anastomosis. It provides a improved maturation and patency rates when compared with the conventional sutured AVF in the forearm. The clinical benefit of the U-Clips may be due in part to the improved compliance created by the interrupted anastomotic technique.

A multicenter study of permanent hemodialysis access patency: beneficial effect of clipped vascular anastomotic technique

OBJECTIVE

There is an urgent and compelling need to reduce the morbidity and expense of maintaining hemodialysis vascular access patency. This large, long-term, retrospective, multicenter study, which compared access patency of autogenous arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) and synthetic bridge grafts (AVG) created with conventional sutures or nonpenetrating clips, was undertaken to resolve conflicting results from previous smaller studies.

DESIGN

Patency data for 1385 vascular access anastomoses (clipped or sutured) was obtained from 17 hospitals and dialysis centers (Appendix). Five hundred eighteen AVF (242 clip, 276 suture) and 827 AVG (440 clip, 384 suture) were analyzed. Statistical comparisons were made with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, log-rank test, two-sample t test, and X(2) test. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to confirm Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

Access patency (primary, secondary, overall, and intention to treat) was significantly improved in access anastomoses constructed with clips. In the intention-to-treat group, primary patency at 24 months was 0.54 for clipped AVF and 0.34 for sutured AVF, and was 0.36 for clipped AVG and 0.17 for sutured AVG. At 24 months, primary patency rate for AVF successfully used for dialysis was 0.67 for clips and 0.48 for sutures, and for AVG was 0.39 for clips and 0.19 for sutured constructs. Interventions necessary to maintain patency were significantly fewer in clipped anastomoses.

CONCLUSION

Replacing conventional suture with clips significantly reduces morbidity associated with maintaining permanent hemodialysis vascular access. This beneficial effect may be due to the biologic superiority of interrupted, nonpenetrating vascular anastomoses.