[The Cannulation of the Arteriovenous Fistula in the Presence of a Stent: Precautions, Risks, and Possibilities].

A proper management and tailored interventions represented two fundamental steps to ensure a long-term use of the arteriovenous fistula (AVF). AVF failure can be attributed to various factors, with stenosis being the most common cause. Different techniques are employed for treating complications, but percutaneous endovascular procedures are the most widely used.

Report on an Italian survey of 72 stuck hemodialysis catheters.

Background: Reports of stuck hemodialysis catheters have been on the rise in recent years. Aim of this work is to report how this complication has been managed and the relative outcomes in a multicente Italian survey.

Methods: Since 2012, the Italian Society of Nephrology (SIN) Project Group of Vascular Access has collected data among nephrologists on this complication.

Successful 8-year use of Venous Window Needle Guide for deep arteriovenous fistula cannulation.

We describe the case of a patient who had been on hemodialysis for 8 years using a native arteriovenous fistula cannulated through the Venous Window Needle Guide™ device (VWING). The overall outcome was excellent and complication-free with intact state of the underlying vessel and a high degree of patient satisfaction. The patient was able to carry out self-cannulation without any difficulty almost from the very beginning.

Venous Window Needle Guide for deep vessels and difficult arteriovenous fistula cannulation.

The Venous Window Needle Guide (VWING™) has recently been proposed for patients with difficult arteriovenous fistula (AVF) access for hemodialysis due to deep vessels or other cannulation-related problems. This totally subcutaneous titanium device is sutured onto the upper wall of the matured fistula and may facilitate cannulation by the button-hole technique. We describe our initial experience with nine implants in six patients with a cumulative follow-up of 83 months, and make some experience-based technical suggestions for implant and surveillance radiological imaging.

Acute renal infarction: a single center experience.

Background: Acute renal infarction is a rare condition whose diagnosis is often delayed. Major risk factors include atrial fibrillation, valvular or ischemic heart disease, renal artery thrombosis/dissection and coagulopathy.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 18 patients admitted to our Nephrology Department between 1999 and 2015 for acute renal infarction diagnosed by computed tomography.

"Two is better than one": a composite graft made of two different vascular prostheses for urgent hemodialysis access in a troublesome case.

Background: Multiple failed hemodialysis access and poor vascular anatomy can jeopardize an end-stage renal disease patient's survival, frequently leading to the urgent need for rapid and durable new vascular access. In these circumstances, the extensive use of central venous catheters (CVC) can led to serious complications, such as infection, thrombosis, and often vessel scarring with obstruction of the central veins. More recently, new self-sealing prosthetic grafts may be cannulated within a few days after implantation, avoiding the need for extensive CVC.

Dealing with stuck hemodialysis catheter: state of the art and tips for the nephrologist.

The term stuck catheter refers to the condition in which a catheter is not removable from a central vein using standard techniques. Although it is a rare complication, in the last few years it has been reported ever more frequently in hemodialysis due to the widespread use of tunneled catheters. Poor knowledge of the correct procedures and limited experience and training of the specialist in facing this problem are the main reasons for catheter internalization.