TEMPORARY VASCULAR ACCESS AT LA-REUNION

The high proportion of diabetic patients is partly responsible for the high frequency of chronic renal failure in Reunion. The confection an d maintenance of an arterio-venous fistule is a major problem in those patients. We report herein our experience with temporary vascular acc ess by internal jugular vein catherisation with subcutaneous tunnelisa tion using silastic catheters. The mean duration of utilisation of the se accesses is 107 days for diabetic patients and 98 days for nondiabe tic patients. The major complication observed is sepsis (18.36%). Diab etes mellitus which represent a traditional risk factor does not seem to be responsible here, the climatic and hygienic conditions prevailin g in this part of the world could be a contributing factor. Neverthele ss, we find the utilisation of these catheters a suitable solution dur ing the waiting period because it is an easy operation, of the good qu ality of the material used and the confort brought to the patient.