Use of mechanical thrombectomy for declotting hemodialysis grafts.

Preservation of hemodialysis graft function is a high priority. Graft thrombosis is a common problem that can be treated percutaneously using a variety of methods, including pharmacological thrombolysis, balloon thrombectomy, and mechanical thrombectomy. These treatments provide similar clinical efficacy and primary patency rates, but differ in their risk for potential complications such as bleeding and pulmonary microembolization. The rheolytic thrombectomy catheter is discussed as an option for hemodialysis graft declotting. Rheolytic thrombectomy was found to offer rapid and effective treatment for thrombosed dialysis grafts, without significant procedural complications and with acceptable patency rates.