Late symptomatic venous stenosis in three hemodialysis patients without previous central venous catheters

It is well known that catheters placed in the subclavian or internal jugula r veins may develop stenosis in the vein in which the catheter lies. Becaus e the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) relies on good venous outflow, patients w ith ipsilateral central venous stenosis are subject to the malfunctioning o f AVF. Until now, no data were published on patients showing central vein s tenosis (CVS) without a previous central venous catheter (CVC) or a pacemak er. In this article, we report on 3 hemodialysis patients manifesting CVS i pslateral to AVF. None of these patients previously had undergone CVC. The stenosis observed had characteristics and symptoms similar to those observe d in stenoses consequent to CVC. We concluded that CVS also may occur in su bclavian or axillary veins proximal to a working AVF in hemodialysis patien ts who have never had a CVC and in the absence of compressive phenomena.