Role of stents and stent grafts in management of hemodialysis access complications.

Different types of complications may occur during a percutaneous vascular access procedure and the majority of these complications are caused by balloon angioplasty. These balloon angioplasty-induced complications include venous rupture, venous dissection, and the development of an acute pseudoaneurysm. Balloon tamponade is the traditional percutaneous technique for management of these complications. However, insertion of a stent or stent graft has become an increasingly popular method to quickly and effectively repair a venous injury. A stent or stent graft may provide a more effective and durable method to treat balloon angioplasty-induced complications. Unfortunately, there are few, if any, clinical studies to substantiate the advantages and cost-effectiveness of these devices and so their use remains controversial.