Nugent HM, Groothuis A, Seifert P, Guerraro JL, Nedelman M, Mohanakumar T, Edelman ER. Perivascular endothelial implants inhibit intimal hyperplasia in a model of arteriovenous fistulae: a safety and efficacy study in the pig.
Summary: Vascular access complications are a major problem in hemodialysis patients. Native arteriovenous fistulae, historically the preferred mode ofaccess, have a patency rate of only 60% at 1 year. The most common mode of failure is due to progressive stenosis at the anastomotic site. We have previously demonstrated that perivascular endothelial cell implants inhibit intimal thickening following acute balloon injury in pigs and now seek to determine if these implants provide a similar benefit in the chronic and more complex injury model of arteriovenous anastomoses.