An eighth note

Abstract

Venous stenosis is the most common cause of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) failure in hemodialysis patients. For patients with AVF stenosis, the pressure over the antecedent part of the AVF stenotic lesion will increase if arterial inflow is sufficient. We report a chronic hemodialysis patient who received an angiographic examination for the juxta-anastomosis stenosis of his AVF. A unique feature of a collateral venous branch antecedent to the stenotic lesion was noted, resembling a musical sign as the "eighth note." After percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, the eighth note attenuated markedly at once. Of note, the eighth note sign is not seen frequently, and thus we postulate that the formation of an eighth note sign on the radiocephalic fistula should fulfill the following requirements, including a sufficient arterial inflow, an adjacent collateral branch close enough to the arteriovenous anastomosis, a severe juxta-anastomotic stenotic lesion, and an intact ulnar venous drainage system.

Keywords: arteriovenous fistula; collateral circulation; hemodialysis; regional blood flow; vascular patency.