THE BRACHIOAXILLARY INTERPOSITION GRAFT AS A SUCCESSFUL TERTIARY VASCULAR ACCESS PROCEDURE FOR HEMODIALYSIS

There is a steady increase in the number of patients with chronic renal insufficiency undergoing long-term hemodialysis, and an increasing number of these patients have exhausted veins due to multiple vascular access and salvage procedures. These patients may be candidates for an alternative vascular access procedure, the brachioaxillary interposition arteriovenous graft. This graft was used in 13 patients with a 100% patency rate and no significant complications at 81 patient months. The results indicate that the large axillary vein, which provides an adequate runoff, and a narrow graft-to-vein inflow angle may lessen the turbulence inherent in the more conventional grafts and may contribute to an improved long-term patency. If these assumptions prove correct, this graft may find more frequent application in the future.