New therapeutic options provided by off-label deployment of stent graft for tailored arteriovenous access salvage: Two cases

A tailored therapy to patient requirements by combining endovascular and surgical steps can be necessary to prolong the life of a vascular access. Stent grafts play a growing role for the therapy of dialytic access complications. Randomized multi-center trials, however, support the on-label use of stent grafts in the treatment of graft venous outflow and in-stent restenosis. The main contraindication to their use is an ongoing infection. We report two cases of new off-label application of Viabahn (Gore, flagstaff, USA) stent graft. In the first case, the failure of a radiocephalic early cannulation graft was treated by stent graft placement on the arterial inflow anastomosis, when emergent angiographic examination revealed the previously unknown high takeoff of the radial artery from the axillary artery. At 13-month follow-up, the target lesion remained untreated. In the second case, elbow stent graft occlusion with extended thrombosis occurred in a right radiocephalic fistula after 3 years of unassisted patency. Being the last option for vascular access, successful endovascular recanalization was carried out. After 3 months, however, the clinical setting relapsed. A two-stage hybrid strategy with vascular surgeon was arranged due to ongoing signs of local infection. Flow was restored by emergent thromboaspiration associated with a new stent graft placement as a endovascular bridge to subsequent surgical treatment. After 2 days, the overlapped stent grafts were excised as planned. Surgical rerouting was completed by polytetrafluoroethylene prosthetic bridge implantation across the elbow. At 4 months, the follow-up remained uneventful. In selected instances, the off-label use of stent grafts may expand the therapeutic options of the vascular access team.