Complications of vascular access are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients. 1 It is widely accepted that an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the optimal form of vascular access, with better patency and lower infection rates than arteriovenous grafts and central

Definitive surgical management should be considered if obstruction persists after one attempt at ureteral dilation, as multiple dilations have a low success rate (25%).

Angio-Seal had a lower rate of primary failure than Perclose in antegrade puncture closures. We believe this reinforces the need for larger studies to compare closure devices in antegrade punctures.

The StarClose device is associated with a low major complication rate. A higher rate of minor complications was observed following antegrade punctures but all were managed with simple compression. Prospective randomized trials comparing closure devices are needed to evaluate their relative efficacy and safety in antegrade and retrograde punctures.

No abstract