Primary Cutting Balloon Angioplasty for Treatment of Venous Stenoses in Native Hemodialysis Fistulas: Long-Term Results from Three Centers

Aim To evaluate the technical success and patency rates following primary cutting balloon angioplasty for venous stenoses in native dialysis fistulas. Methods Forty-one patients (26 men, 15 women; age range 26–82 years, average age 59 years) underwent 50 (repeat procedures in 9 patients) primary cutting balloon (PCB) angioplasty procedures in three institutions by three primary operators. The indication was primary stenosis in 21 patients, recurrent lesions in 15, and immature fistulas in 5. A PCB was used alone in 17 cases, but was followed by a larger standard balloon in 33 cases. Follow-up included ultrasound, flow analysis and urea reduction ratio, and ranged from 2 to 30 months (mean 14 months). Results The technical success rate was 98%. All procedures were relatively painless. Two PCBs burst and 4 leaked, but without causing any morbidity. Nineteen fistulas were still working at last follow-up. Primary patency rates at 6, 12, and 24 months using Kaplan-Meier analysis were 88%, 73%, and 34%, respectively, and the primary assisted patencies were 90%, 75%, and 50%, respectively. Conclusion PCB angioplasty has high technical success and low complication rates. The long-term patency rates are favorable for PCB angioplasty and compare favorably with other series.