Existing and Evolving Therapies for Arteriovenous Fistula and Graft Dysfunction.

A functional vascular access (VA) is of paramount importance to patients on hemodialysis therapy. While arteriovenous fistula (AVF) remains the preferred VA, their long-term patency is unpredictable. A dysfunctional VA contributes to a high morbidity rate, an increased susceptibility to major adverse cardiovascular events, recurrent hospitalization, and a poor quality of life.

Corrigendum to "WCN24-1709 NON-CADAVERIC HOMOLOGOUS VEIN AS VASCULAR ACCESS IN A PATIENT WITH EXHAUSTED NATIVE VEINS ON HEMODIALYSIS" [ Volume 9, Issue 4, Supplement, April 2024, Pages S398-S399].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.

Variation in performing kidney biopsy amongst nephrologists in the Asia-Pacific region: A multinational survey.

Aim: Kidney biopsy (KB) is the gold standard procedure for diagnosing kidney diseases. Globally, nephrologists are trained to perform KB. However, the past few decades have witnessed a transition where interventional radiologists (IRs) are now preferentially performing the procedure.

Global variability of vascular and peritoneal access for chronic dialysis.

Aim: Vascular and peritoneal access are essential elements for sustainability of chronic dialysis programs. Data on availability, patterns of use, funding models, and workforce for vascular and peritoneal accesses for dialysis at a global scale is limited.

Methods: An electronic survey of national leaders of nephrology societies, consumer representative organizations, and policymakers was conducted from July to September 2018.

Practice of dialysis access interventional nephrology procedures in the Asia-Pacific region: Getting lay of the land.

Aim: This cross-sectional survey aimed to determine the prevalence of Interventional Nephrology (IN) practice amongst nephrologists in the Asia-Pacific Region (APR), specifically related to dialysis access (DA).

Methods: The Association of VA and intervenTionAl Renal physicians (AVATAR) Foundation from India conducted a multinational online survey amongst nephrologists from the Asia-Pacific to determine the practice of IN in the planning, creation, and management of dialysis access. The treatment modalities, manpower and equipment availability, monthly cost of treatment, specifics of dialysis access interventions, and challenges in the training and practice of IN by nephrologists were included in the survey.

Evaluation of hemodialysis vascular access involving multidisciplinary integration: Perspective from Latin America and Peru.

The perspective of vascular access care in patients with end-stage renal disease has migrated from nephrology-centered or vascular surgery-centered care to multidisciplinary-focused patient-centered care. This new perspective should not only be theoretical but also have practical utility. A non-multidisciplinary focus can contribute to the low prevalence of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in the population.

Global hemodialysis vascular access care: Three decades of evolution.

The development of vascular access for hemodialysis has come a long way since 1943 when the first hemodialysis treatment was performed in humans by connecting an artery and vein using an external glass canula. Since then, vascular access care has evolved robustly through contributions from numerous countries and professional nephrology societies, worldwide. To understand the global distribution and contribution of different specialties to medical literature on dialysis vascular access care, we performed a literature search from 1991 to 2021 and identified 2768 articles from 74 countries.

Placing an appropriate tunneled dialysis catheter in an appropriate patient including the nonconventional sites.

Hemodialysis remains the most frequently chosen kidney replacement modality across the world. A well-functioning dialysis vascular access is critical to providing successful dialysis therapy. Despite its drawbacks, central venous catheter is commonly used as a vascular access to initiate hemodialysis therapy in acute and chronic settings.

Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial of fistula vs. graft arteriovenous vascular access in older adults with end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis: the AV access trial.

Background: Treatment of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) with hemodialysis requires surgical creation of an arteriovenous (AV) vascular access-fistula (AVF) or graft (AVG)-to avoid (or limit) the use of a central venous catheter (CVC). AVFs have long been considered the first-line vascular access option, with AVGs as second best. Recent studies have suggested that, in older adults, AVGs may be a better strategy than AVFs.

Hemodialysis Arteriovenous Access Cosmesis Scale (AVACS): A new measure for vascular access.

Rationale And Objective: This study aimed to develop a cosmesis scale to evaluate the cosmetic appearance of hemodialysis (HD) arteriovenous (AV) accesses from the perspective of the patient and clinician, which could be incorporated into clinical trials.

Study Design: Using a modified Delphi process, two AV access cosmesis scale (AVACS) components were developed in a four-round Delphi panel consisting of two surveys and two consensus meetings with two rounds of patient consultation.

Setting And Participants: The Delphi panel consisted of 15 voting members including five interventional or general nephrologists, five vascular surgeons, three interventional radiologists, and two vascular access nurse coordinators.

Dialysis Decision Making, Dialysis Experiences, and Illness Perceptions: A Qualitative Study of Pakistani Patients Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis.

Rationale & Objective: The incidence and prevalence of patients with kidney failure requiring dialysis are increasing in Pakistan. However, in-depth perspectives on kidney care from Pakistani people requiring maintenance dialysis are lacking.

Study Design: Qualitative interview study.

Global challenges with providing vascular access care during COVID era.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected health care systems and dialysis access care in the US and across the globe. Beyond the initial challenges posed by the pandemic and despite the actions taken by health care leaders/organizations/professional societies such as the "Maintaining Lifelines for ESKD Patients" joint statement, there continues to be delays in providing timely care and performing elective and emergent dialysis access procedures worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the global challenges associated with providing dialysis vascular access care across the international vascular access community during the pandemic.

Feasibility and safety of guidewire-balloon entrapment technique for recanalization of thoracic central vein occlusion in hemodialysis patients.

Objective: To explore the feasibility and safety of Guidewire-Balloon Entrapment Technique (GBET) for the recanalization of thoracic central vein occlusions (TCVOs) in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted using data from 28 patients who required the establishment or maintenance of hemodialysis access and were treated with GBET for the recanalization of right-sided TCVOs from January 2017 to April 2021. Of the patients, 27 required tunneled cuffed catheter (TCC) placement or exchange, and 1 had an outflow tract occlusion of the Brescia-Cimino radio cephalic arteriovenous fistula (AVF).