Anatole Beserab, MD, along with fellow authors including Vasc-Alert staff John Kennedy and Kim Hirschman, recently conducted a study that took 15 centers with access care programs and initiated Vasc-Alert surveillance. 

Background

Recent clinical vascular access research has focused on clinical trials examining factors and therapy affecting maturation of permanent vascular access for dialysis. 

Fewer trials have assessed effectiveness of surveillance modalities for maintaining durability/survival of those successful AVF and AVG placements through detection of stenosis followed by preemptive angioplasty (PTA). 

The full video presentation at the most recent ASDIN Annual Scientific Meeting is available by clicking below.

Conclusions

The study found that surveillance using Vasc-Alert with referrals for PTA when indicated reduces failure rate compared to published data and prolongs access longevity. 

Future RCTs are needed to determine additional influencing factors, such as the incidence of catheter dependency, the cost benefits associated with surveillance, as well as the alteration of the number of patients who exhaust upper arm AV access sites.