Transposition of cephalic vein to rescue hemodialysis access arteriovenous fistula and treat symptomatic central venous obstruction

Abstract

It is known that stenosis or central venous obstruction affects 20 to 50% of patients who undergo placement of catheters in central veins. For patients who are given hemodialysis via upper limbs, this problem causes debilitating symptoms and increases the risk of loss of hemodialysis access. We report an atypical case of treatment of a dialysis patient with multiple comorbidities, severe swelling and pain in the right upper limb (RUL), few alternative sites for hemodialysis vascular access, a functioning brachiobasilic fistula in the RUL and severe venous hypertension in the same limb, secondary to central vein occlusion of the internal jugular vein and right brachiocephalic trunk. The alternative surgical treatment chosen was to transpose the RUL cephalic vein, forming a venous necklace at the anterior cervical region, bypassing the site of venous occlusion. In order to achieve this, we dissected the cephalic vein in the right arm to its junction with the axillary vein, devalved the cephalic vein and anastomosed it to the contralateral external jugular vein, providing venous drainage to the RUL, alleviating symptoms of venous hypertension and preserving function of the brachiobasilic fistula.Keywords: arteriovenous fistula; central venous obstruction; venous transposition; exotic vein graft; venous bypass. ResumoSabemos que estenose ou obstrução venosa central ocorre em 20 a 50% dos pacientes que são submetidos à colocação de cateter em veias centrais. Nos pacientes que realizam hemodiálise pelos membros superiores, este problema causa sintomas debilitantes e um grande risco de perda do acesso para hemodiálise. Relatamos um caso atípico de tratamento em um paciente dialítico com múltiplas comorbidades, queixa de dor e edema severo do membro superior direito (MSD), escassas alternativas de acessos vasculares para hemodiálise e fístula braquiobasílica funcionante do MSD associada à severa hipertensão venosa deste membro, secundária à oclusão venosa central da veia jugular interna e do tronco braquiocefálico direito. O tratamento cirúrgico alternativo foi a transposição da veia cefálica do MSD, formando colar venoso na região cervical anterior, resultando em um bypass sobre o sítio venoso ocluído. Para isso, realizamos a dissecção da veia cefálica no braço direito até a sua junção com a veia axilar, devalvulamos e anastomosamos a veia cefálica na veia jugular externa contralateral, permitindo a drenagem venosa do MSD, aliviando os sintomas da hipertensão venosa e mantendo a fístula braquiobasílica funcionante.Palavras-chave: fístula arteriovenosa; obstrução venosa central; transposição venosa; enxerto venoso exótico; bypass venoso.

Transposition of external jugular to proximal internal jugular vein for relief of venous thoracic outlet syndrome and maintenance of arteriovenous fistula access for chronic hemodialysis: A new approach

“…The patient resumed hemodialysis the same week of surgery, and after 5 months follow-up, her AVF was patent and she was symptom free. 20 Furthermore, Skupien et al 21 reported a case where they transposed the right cephalic vein to the contralateral EJV with good short-term results. More specifically, they noted the patient had been continuing hemodialysis through her AVF without issues and was symptom free 13 months after surgery.…”