VASCULAR RUPTURE COMPLICATING TRANSLUMINAL ANGIOPLASTY APPLIED ON A FAILED DIALYSIS VASCULAR ACCESS IN A PATIENT UNDER CHRONIC STEROID-THERAPY

We report a case of venous rupture complicating percutaneous translumi nal angioplasty (PTA) applied a failed dialysis vascular access (VA) i n a patient on chronic steroid therapy, This complication resulted in a rapidly growing hematoma which was successfully controlled by a prol onged reinflation of the balloon catheter at the angioplasty site. The absence of oversizing of the balloon catheter and the low inflation p ressure at which the perforation occurred suggest a vessel fragility w hich was probably induced by a long-standing steroid therapy. In dialy sis patients in whom steroid therapy does not represent an infrequent therapeutic modality, this potential risk of vascular rupture should b e carefully weighted while treating VA stenoses with the use of PTA.