Polytetrafluoroethylene hemoaccess site infections

The advent of permanent hemodialysis access has made possible the use of ch ronic hemodialysis in patients with endstage renal disease. Although autoge nous arteriovenous fistulae remain the conduit of choice, their constructio n is not always:feasible. Prosthetic grafts made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are typically the second-line choice for hemoaccess. However, these grafts suffer from decreased rates of patency and an increased number of c omplications. Although thrombosis is the most common complication, infectio n of PTFE grafts accounts for a significant number of hospitalizations and uses a large amount of healthcare resources. In this monograph, we address infectious complications of PTFE hemoaccess grafts and present a review of the recent literature.