Comparison of the primary outcome of the radial artery deviation and reimplantation technique and the ultrasound-guided percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the treatment of forearm arteriovenous fistula type I stenosis in haemodialysis patients: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: To compare the primary outcome of the radial artery deviation and reimplantation (RADAR) technique and the ultra-sound-guided percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in the treatment of forearm arteriovenous fistula (AVF) type I stenosis in haemodialysis patients.

METHODS

A total of 35 patients with forearm AVF type I stenosis in our hospital were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups: the RADAR group (n = 15), in which forearm AVF reconstruction was performed using the RADAR technique, and the PTA group (n = 20), where patients underwent ultrasound-guided PTA. Measurements including the AVF blood flow rate, the AVF resistance index, the vessel diameter at the site of stenosis, the vessel diameter of the AVF, and the primary patency of AVF were compared.

RESULTS

The two groups were comparable for the AVF blood flow rate, the AVF resistance index, the vessel diameter at the site of stenosis and the vessel diameter of the AVF both at pre-operation and post-operation. However, at 3 months after operation, the RADAR group has higher AVF blood flow rate, lower AVF resistance index, and larger vessel diameter at the site of stenosis than the PTA group. At 3 months after operation, the primary patency of AVF in the RADAR group and the PTA group was 93.33 and 55.00%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

At 3 months after operation, the RADAR technique is associated with superior outcomes, suggesting RADAR may be an effective treatment option for patients with forearm AVF type I stenosis.