Clinical use of omniflow vascular graft as arteriovenous bridging graft for hemodialysis.

From April 1992 to November 1995, 109 bridging arteriovenous fistulas were performed in 89 patients for hemodialysis at National Taiwan University Hospital. These included 61 Omniflow vascular grafts (OVG) in 47 patients and 48 GoreTex polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts in 42 patients. There were 36 male and 53 female patients, whose ages ranged from 24 to 84 years with a mean of 59 +/- 2 years. The operation was performed under lidocaine local anesthesia with antibiotic prophylaxis. The anatomic configurations included 50 (45.9%) forearm loop grafts, 19 (17.4%) forearm straight grafts, and 40 (36.7%) thigh loop grafts. Hemodialysis via the bridging graft was started 2 weeks after the operation. The patients received hemodialysis 3 times a week or more when indicated. No patients suffered from limb loss. Pseudoaneurysm and graft infection requiring operation occurred 0.96% and 1.92% per patient year, respectively, in the OVG group, and pseudoaneurysm and graft infection both occurred 2.38% per patient in the PTFE group. In the OVG group, the thigh loop graft had better patency than the forearm straight graft. The forearm loop graft had a better patency rate than the forearm straight graft. In the OVG group, the 1 to 4 year patency rate was 77 +/- 6 % 58 +/- 8%, 48 +/- 9%, and 34 +/- 13%, respectively, whereas in the PTFE group, the 1 to 4 year patency rate was 69 +/- 7%, 50 +/- 9%, 43 +/- 10%, and 26 +/- 15%, respectively. Therefore, the Omniflow is a good alternative bridging graft for hemodialysis.