Analysis of vascular access in intestinal transplant recipients using the Miami classification from the VIIIth International Small Bowel Transplant Symposium.

Background: Loss of vascular access in patients with intestinal failure is considered an indication for intestinal transplantation. Such patients often have one or more occluded vein sites. Venous access could be classified according to the number of occluded vessels, to facilitate pre- and postoperative management.

Methods: At the VIIIth International Small Bowel Transplant Symposium in September 2003, a new classification of vascular access in patients who were candidates for bowel transplant was proposed. The classification was then applied to stratify all patients that underwent intestinal transplantation at the University of Miami between 1998 and 2003. Data were collected on Doppler ultrasonography, angiography, and vein angioplasty in such patients.

Results: A total of 106 cases in 91 patients were included in the study. Based on Doppler ultrasound results, 51.9% of patients fell into class I (no thrombosed vessels), 21.7% were in class II (one occluded vessel, or positive risk factors for thrombosis), 24.5% were in class III (multiple thrombosed vessels), and 1.9% were in class IV (all vessels thrombosed). Fifteen percent of the patients required preoperative angiography to better evaluate venous access. Most of the patients that required angiography were in class III or IV, and 53.3% of patients requiring angiography needed additional venous angioplasty to achieve access.

Conclusions: All patients that are referred for intestinal transplantation should undergo preliminary mapping of their venous access by Doppler ultrasound and then be assigned to a vascular access class. Those patients with multiple thrombosed vessels (class III and above) should be strongly considered for additional angiographic evaluation.