EARLY USE OF THE GORE-TEX(R) STRETCH GRAFT

This study reports firstly the overall outcome with the 4-7 mm tapered Gore-Tex(R) Stretch Vascular Graft and secondly the feasibility of ea rly (<14 days) cannulation hemodialysis in 270 consecutive patients fo r first-time forearm loop placement. Ninety-six (36%) cases were cannu lated within 14 days and 78 cases within 7 days. The overall results w ith the stretch graft are excellent. The statistically significantly w orse outcome with early cannulation was mainly due to a select patient population (as determined by proportional hazards regression analysis ) being more acutely ill, urgently needing hemodialysis and having no other options for needle puncture, A prospective randomized study, how ever, is warranted to fully resolve the safety issue of early cannulat ion.