PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Bachleda, Petr
AU  - Utikal, Petr
AU  - Kalinova, Lucie
AU  - Köcher, Martin
AU  - Cerna, Marie
AU  - Kolar, Milan
AU  - Zadrazil, Josef
TI  - INFECTIOUS COMPLICATIONS OF ARTERIOVENOUS ePTFE GRAFTS FOR HEMODIALYSIS
DP  - 2010 Mar 1
TA  - Biomedical papers
PG  - 13--19
VI  - 154
IP  - 1
AID - 10.5507/bp.2010.005
IS  - 12138118
AB  - Background: Insufficient venous vasculature disallows autologous arteriovenous fistula creation. In this case an arteriovenous conduit of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) interponed between artery and vein is used for hemodialysis. Although arteriovenous graft infection is an infrequent complication, infected grafts cannot be used for hemodialysis and can cause infection, sepsis and bleeding. Treatment options remain limited but the general approach is to maintain functional angioaccess and to eradicate infection.
Aim: to summarize current knowledge of the prevention and treatment of arteriovenous graft infection.
Methods: literature review Conclusions. ePTFE graft present an unreplaceable material used for angioaccess in patients with an insufficient venous vasculature. A number of risk factors causing graft infection is known. Since hemodialysis patients are a highrisk group, an effective strategies for graft infection prevention and early diagnosis should be determined. Among the most important risk factors belong surgical procedure, recurrent venipuncture and other infection disease. The prostheses should be removed when infected, especially in the presence of sepsis. In case of "localized infection", the prostheses can be removed partially only under the condition of careful patient selection and subsequent follow-up.