Vascular Access-Related Distal Ischemia Requiring Intervention: Frequency, Risk Factors, and Consequences.

Background: Distal ischemia is a rare complication in patients undergoing placement of an arteriovenous (AV) fistula or AV graft. There are limited studies on its frequency, risk factors, clinical consequences, or feasibility of subsequent access.

Methods: A prospective vascular access database from a large academic medical center was queried retrospectively to identify 1498 patients (mean age 56±15 years, 48% female patients, 73% Black patients) undergoing placement of at least one vascular access from 2011 to 2020. For patients who developed access-related distal ischemia requiring surgical intervention, we determined the frequency of distal ischemia, clinical risk factors, and subsequent outcomes.

Results: Severe access-related distal ischemia occurred in 28 patients (1.9%; 95% confidence interval, 1.3% to 2.7%). The frequency was 0.2% for forearm AV fistulas, 0.9% for upper arm AV fistulas, 2.4% for forearm AV grafts, 2.2% for upper arm AV grafts, and 2.8% for thigh AV grafts. Risk factors independently associated with distal ischemia included female sex (odds ratio [OR], 3.64 [95% confidence interval, 1.52 to 8.72]), peripheral vascular disease (OR, 6.28 [2.84 to 13.87]), and coronary artery disease (OR, 2.37 [1.08 to 5.23]). Surgical interventions included ligation, excision, plication (banding), and other surgical procedures. Five patients developed tissue necrosis. A subsequent AV graft was placed in 13 patients, of whom only one (8%) developed distal ischemia requiring intervention.

Conclusions: Access-related distal ischemia requiring intervention was rare in this study and more common in women and patients with peripheral vascular disease or coronary artery disease. In some cases, a subsequent vascular access could be placed with a low likelihood of recurrent distal ischemia.