Complications of lower extremity arteriovenous grafts in patients with end-stage renal disease

Background. More data are needed to assess lower extremity angioaccess site s for hemodialysis. Methods. We did a retrospective review of 843 consecutive hospital records of upper and lower extremity arteriovenous (AV) fistulas from 1992 to 1996. Results. Lower extremity grafts accounted for 16% (134/843) of patients in this series. Complications occurred in 58 of 134 patients (43%) and were mo re prevalent in women, blacks, diabetic, and hypertensive patients, but not of statistical significance. Dialysis was done for a mean duration of 13.3 years, with a mean graft patency rate of 13.8 months. The 12-month surviva l rate of lower extremity AV grafts was 62% (83/134). Complications in the lower extremity AV graft group (58 patients) included infections in 27 pati ents (46%), thrombosis within 30 days in 16 (28%), pseudoaneurysm in 9 (16% ), and graft hemorrhage in 6 (10%). Conclusions. There is a decreased patency rate in lower extremity AV grafts .