Abstract

MARTINS, Pedro et al. Brachial artery aneurysm on receivers of kidney transplant. Angiol Cir Vasc [online]. 2014, vol.10, n.2, pp.58-63. ISSN 1646-706X.

In patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease, brachial artery aneurysms proximal to an arteriovenous fistula are a rare and late complication. The aim of this study was clinical and demographic characterization of these patients and analysis of the outcomes of surgical treatment. An observational retrospective study was conducted comprising a period of 10 years (2002-2012) on receivers of kidney transplant with brachial artery aneurysms in limbs with a previously constructed radiocephalic fistula. Patients with access-related pseudo-aneurysms were excluded. Six patients - 5 male (83%) and 1 female (17%) - with an average age of 54 years, all of whom were kidney transplant recipients and had a ligated/occluded radio-cephalic fistula. The most common presentation was a painless pulsatile mass. Average aneurysm diameter was 32.5 mm. All patients had their aneurysm resected. An interposition graft was placed in 5 patients - vein graft in 4 patients, prosthetic graft in 1 patient. End-to-end anastomosis was performed in 1 patient. The average follow-up was 35 months, with thrombosis of 1 prosthetic graft at 2 months, 2 patients suffered aneurysmal degeneration (33%) of the graft and/or brachial artery proximal to the reconstruction at 53 and 60 months, all requiring a second procedure. No fatalities or cases of limb loss were recorded. Expansive remodeling caused by high flow and shear stress proximal to an arteriovenous fistula associated with longer survival of kidney transplant recipients and the effect of immune suppressive therapy may explain development of these aneurysms. Our results point out that venous conduit should be the preferred choice by its longer patency, although requiring a non-invasive surveillance program by the risk of late aneurysmal degeneration.

Keywords : Brachial artery aneurysm; Kidney transplant; Radiocephalic fistula.

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