Best Practice:

Avoid unsuccessful PTA outcomes by using Transonic catheter-based flow measurements during PTA

Flow-guided Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty (PTA)

PTA’s failure to restore blood flow in an AV access is well reported in literature. More than 20% of angioplasty procedures in AVG are not immediately successful and nearly 50% of shunt flows return to a pre-angioplasty level within three months.

PTA failure can cause untold patient suffering, loss of the vascular access, and loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in PTA procedural costs alone. Intragraft flow measurement with the ReoCath® Flow Catheter provides quantitative, on-the-spot flow data to guide PTA flow restoration.¹

Ensure continuous functionality of an arteriovenous fistula or graft by:

• Measuring flow before angioplasty to demonstrate the necessity for intervention
• Measuring flow after angioplasty to ensure that flow is brought back to optimum levels for successful dialysis

For over a decade, physicians have used Transonic Systems HD Monitors to measure Access Flow using ultrasound dilution technology during dialysis. This has greatly helped to detect failing vascular access sites prior to thrombosis, so patients may be sent for scheduled interventions, instead of emergency revisions.

When used together, physicians in both departments can use the same K/DOQI recommended flow guidelines to increase the longevity of their patients’ vascular accesses.

References

1. Vesely, TM et al, "Use of a Catheter-based System to Measure Blood Flow in Hemodialysis Grafts during Angioplasty Procedures," J Vasc Interv Radiol 2002; 13(4): 371-378. (IR1V)

Journal Publications and Meeting Abstracts

All Interventional Radiology Publication References

Catheter Flow Measurement

Flow Increases After Angioplasty