We Perform Surveillance for Arteriovenous Graft Stenosis

Successful hemodialysis is dependent on high unimpeded blood flow. Arteriovenous grafts are notorious for access stenosis, a precursor for access thrombosis. Access surveillance techniques are available and in observational studies have been superior to clinical monitoring for the detection of access stenosis and subsequent prevention of thrombosis in arteriovenous grafts. However, in prospective randomized controlled studies, these surveillance techniques have not been superior to clinical monitoring in reducing access thrombosis and or prolonging access survival. Presently, routine surveillance should not be performed until it can be proven to be effective at prolonging thrombosis free graft survival.