Results of a Seven-Year, Single-Centre Experience of the Long-Term Outcomes of Bovine Ureter Grafts Used as Novel Conduits for Haemodialysis Fistulas

Purpose To report the long-term outcomes of bovine ureter grafts as novel conduits for haemodialysis fistulas. Materials and Methods Thirty-five patients underwent placement of a total of 40 SynerGraft 100 (SG100; CryoLife Europa(A (R)), Guildford, UK) bovine ureter grafts between April 2002 and February 2009. Prospective data were collected on all patients, including active surveillance with blood flow studies and 6-monthly duplex ultrasound studies. Main outcome measures were primary and secondary patency rates. Results Mean follow-up time was 97 weeks (range 4-270). Thirteen patients died from unrelated causes during the study period; 12 of these patients had a functioning graft at the time of death. Five patients underwent transplantation, and all had a functioning graft at transplantation. Twelve patients had a functioning graft at the end of the study period. One hundred and ten stenoses were detected, and 97 venoplasty procedures were performed. Of the stenoses, 41.8% were located at the venous anastomosis, 12.7% within the graft, 17.3% in the outflow veins, and 28.1% in central veins. No arterial stenoses were detected. Primary patency rates were 53% at 6 months and 14% at 1 year. Secondary patency rates were 81% at 6 months, 75% at 1 year, and 56% at 2 years. Conclusions Active surveillance and intervention was able to achieve satisfactory long-term secondary patency for these novel conduits compared with those made of PTFE seen in other studies [1].