Endovascular salvage of dysfunctional hemodialysis tunneled catheter in a patient with vascular access exhaustion

Marcel Voos-Budal Arins, Hemodinamia Integral, Centro de Cardiologia Intervencionista y Terapéutica Endovascular Periférica, Santiago del Estero, Argentina
Antenor Alvarez, Hemodinamia Integral, Centro de Cardiologia Intervencionista y Terapéutica Endovascular Periférica, Santiago del Estero, Argentina

Vascular access exhaustion is common in hemodialysis patients. It is important to have vascular access options for dialysis. The most common cause of tunneled catheter dysfunction is fibrin sheath formation. We report the case of a morbidly obese patient, with exhaustion of vascular access, who presents a dysfunctional tunneled catheter due to displacement of one of its branches and fibrin sheath that occludes the superior vena cava. Using an endovascular technique, the functionality of the catheter was recovered, without the need to change it. The patient is on hemodialysis without complications.

Keywords: Vascular access. Hemodialysis. Endovascular. Fibrin sheath.