Grafts and graft materials as vascular substitutes for haemodialysis access construction

Abstract

Apart from long-term central venous catheterisation, the insertion of an arteriovenous graft (AVG) remains the only option to allow continued haemodialysis when the patient's superficial veins have been exhausted. Although, expanded PTFE has become the graft of choice for haemodialysis access throughout the world, many other organic or semi-organic materials are currently available for AVG construction. These are less prone to steal syndrome, easier to handle, more resistant to infection and may have similar, if not better, long term patencies.