Objective To evaluate the effect of Fogarty balloon catheter embolectomy on arteriovenous graft thrombosis in hemodialysis patients. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 11 patients who underwent maintaining hemodialysis and arteriovenous graft thrombosis through Fogarty balloon catheter embolectomy between March 2010 and November 2014. The thrombosed graft was incised, and a 4 or 6 French catheter was placed in the venous and arterial limbs of the graft respectively. The Fogarty balloon was passed beyond the thrombus and pulled out after saline was infused into the balloon, and the thrombus was taken out. The procedure was considered unsuccessful if the blood flow was not re-established or if the graft re-thrombosed within hours. Results The treatment was successfully performed in all the patients. Of the 11 patients, 3 received balloon dilation due to stenosis of venous anastomosis, and 2 received angioplasty due to underlying arterial anastomosis lesion. After corresponding measures were taken, the thrombus of all the 11 patients were taken out, and blood flow was recovered. Two to seven days after surgery, low molecular weight heparin was used for anti-coagulation. The blood flow of all arteriovenous grafts reached over 250 mL/min. All the patients were followed up for 4 to 30 months. During the follow-up, the arteriovenous graft remained functional in 5 patients; 4 patients had re-thrombosis on day 2, 3, 25, and 71 after surgery respectively; one changed to undergo peritoneal dialysis due to rupture and infection of the graft, and one patient was transferred to another hospital in another area and was not followed up any longer. The therapy was successful in 81.8% of this group of patients. Conclusion Fogarty balloon catheter embolectomy is effective in restoring patency of thrombosed arteriovenous graft in hemodialysis patients, and more studies are needed.
Objective To explore the effectiveness of arterial crisis after replantation of limb treated by ultrasound guided Fogarty balloon catheter. Methods Between January 2012 and July 2016, 27 patients suffered from arterial crisis after replantation of limb were treated with ultrasound guided Fogarty balloon catheter combined with thrombolytic anticoagulant. There were 18 males and 9 females with the age of 19-51 years (mean, 32 years). The limb mutilation position was at knee joint in 3 cases, lower limb in 9 cases, ankle joint in 6 cases, elbow joint in 2 cases, forearm in 4 cases, and wrist joint in 3 cases. The arterial crisis happened at 2.5-18 hours (mean, 7.5 hours) after limb replantation surgery. Color doppler ultrasonography was used to diagnose the arterial thrombosis, finally the anastomotic thrombosis were found in 16 cases, non-anastomotic thrombosis in 7 cases, and combined thrombosis in 4 cases. All the thrombosis were deteced in the arteries with the length of 0.8-3.9 cm. Results No complication such as vascular perforation, rupture, air embolism, thromboembolism, wound infection, or sepsis happened after operation. Arterial crisis occurred again in 3 cases at 1.5-13.5 hours after limb replantation and treated by arterial exploration, 1 case was treated successfully; 2 cases had arterial occlusion and partial necrosis of limb, and got amputation treatment at last. The rest 24 cases survived with the incision healing by first stage. In the 24 cases, 1 case suffered from acute myonephropathic metabolic syndrome and corrected after hemodialysis; 1 case suffered from acute liver functional damage and corrected by comprehensive treatment of internal medicine. The 24 patients were followed up 7-38 months (mean, 11 months). At last follow-up, blood supply of the limb was good with normal skin temperature and improved sense of feeling, activity, and swelling. According to Chinese Medical Association of hand surgery to the upper extremity function assessment standard, the results were excellent in 12 cases, good in 8 cases, and fair in 4 cases with an excellent and good rate of 83.3%. Conclusion Ultrasound guided Fogarty balloon catheter treatment of posterior replantation of arterial crisis can accurately locate the thrombosis, get the thrombus fast and invasive minimally to avoid the blind and repeated thrombectomy, and obtain certain effectiveness.