Successful renal transplantation with ipsilateral femoral arteriovenous grafts

The management of lower limb arteriovenous grafts in the perioperative period following renal transplantation

BACKGROUND

The presence of a lower limb arteriovenous graft (LL-AVG) is indicative of a group of complex hemodialysis patients who have precarious long-term vascular access. The aim of this study is to describe our experience of the clinical decisions and interactions between LL-AVG and renal transplantation.

METHODS

The records of 23 patients who received a transplant in the presence of a LL-AVG between 2010 and 2018 were analyzed: firstly, to determine whether patients with a LL-AVG received extended criteria transplants, the implantation procedure, and the management of the LL-AVG in the post-operative period.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients (74%) had "end-stage access" and were thus considered for all offer stratified by the kidney donor profile index (KDPI) and donor type (DBD or DCD). In eleven patients (48%), a kidney with a high risk of delayed graft function was transplanted. Same-sided renal transplantation occurred in only 35% of cases, and of these, only one LL-AVG was ligated immediately to improve transplant perfusion.

CONCLUSION

A patient-based approach applied in decision-making on management of the LL-AVG post-transplantation should include (a) the likelihood of delayed graft function, (b) the need for post-operative hemodialysis, (c) the side of proposed transplant compared to the LL-AVG, and (d) local complications.

Outcome of Kidney Allografts in Recipients With a Femoral Arteriovenous Fistula: Report of Two Cases

Two patients, who were on hemodialysis over a femoral arteriovenous fistula, were transplanted in our center. Despite adequate blood pressure, perfusion of the renal allograft remained poor after completion of the vascular anastomoses. Ligation of the femoral arteriovenous fistula (1.6 L/min) led to adequate perfusion. Initial graft function was good. Although it remains unclear whether ischemia of a renal allograft is caused by venous hypertension or vascular steal due to a femoral arteriovenous fistula, it might be necessary to ligate a femoral arteriovenous fistula to obtain adequate graft perfusion.

Endovascular management of renal transplant dysfunction secondary to hemodynamic effects related to ipsilateral femoral arteriovenous graft

Hemodialysis access options become complex in long-term treatment for patients with renal disease, while awaiting renal transplantation (RT). Once upper extremity sites are exhausted, lower extremities are used. RT is preferably in the contralateral iliac fossa, rarely ipsilateral. In current literature, RT dysfunction secondary to the hemodynamic effects of an ipsilateral femoral arteriovenous graft (AVG) has been rarely described. To our knowledge, AVG ligation is the only published technique for hemodynamic correction of an ipsilateral AVG. We present a simple, potentially reversible endovascular approach to manage the hemodynamic effects of an AVG, without potentially permanently losing future AVG access.