Comparative study of use of diastat versus standard wall PTFE grafts in upper arm hemodialysis access

The objective of this study was to review our experience with using brachio axillary Diastat vascular grafts (Diastat) compared to standard wall brachi oaxillary PTFE grafts (sPTFE) in two similar groups of hemodialysis patient s. We conducted a retrospective study comparing complications and graft sur vival in two similar groups tin terms of age, diabetes mellitus, surgical t echnique, and previous vascular access) of hemodialysis patients during the period 1994-1997 who had received Diastat(R) (n = 40) or (sPTFE) (n = 40) grafts. We found that the Diastat graft for upper arm hemodialysis access h as lower patency and higher complication rates than sPTFE grafts.