Use of the Superficial Femoral-Popliteal Vein to Salvage Dialysis Access

Abstract

Long-term angioaccess for patients with chronic renal failure remains a serious challenge for the vascular surgeon. This report is of a 69-year-old man who had a well-functioning left Brescia fistula at the time of his pacemaker placement for life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias. Following pacemaker placement, the patient developed left arm swelling, which involved the entire upper limb and failure of the hemodialysis access secondary to a left subclavian vein stenosis. After failed attempts at angioplasty and other endovascular procedures, the patient underwent successful placement of a left axillary vein to left internal jugular vein interposition graft using the left superficial femoral popliteal vein to salvage the dialysis access.