Arteriovenous Fistula Construction Using Femoral Vein in the Thigh and Upper Extremity: Single-Center Experience

The objective of this study was to determine the outcome of femoral vein (FV) access as either a FV thigh transposition or upper extremity FV translocation. This is a retrospective review of all end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients who underwent FV access at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center from December 2004 to May 2007. Demographics, number of prior access procedures, FV dialysis access procedure, periprocedural complications, mean follow-up, secondary access-related procedures, and access function were recorded. Complications were subdivided into FV harvest site- and ischemia-related. Nineteen patients underwent FV access during the study period: 10 underwent FV thigh transpositions and nine underwent upper extremity FV translocations. The median number of prior access procedures was two. The median hospital stay was 3 days, and there were no perioperative deaths. Eight patients had FV harvest site complications: six lymphoceles, one AVF infection requiring ligation, and one compartment syndrome requiring fasciotomy. Three (16%) patients had ischemic complications: one required ligation of the AVF and two required distal revascularization interval ligation. Seventynine percent of patients had a functioning access at a mean follow-up of 6 months (range 23 days to 3 years). Four FV arteriovenous accesses required one or more endovascular procedures to maintain function at 12 months. The use of FV access in ESRD is durable at intermediate follow-up but has significant morbidity. FV access should be reserved for good-risk patients who have exhausted other autogenous options.