Percutaneous transhepatic venous access for hemodialysis: an alternative route for patients with end-stage renal failure

Background: Percutaneous transhepatic venous access is an option for hemodialysis patients who have exhausted all traditional sites of venous access. Objectives: To present a small sample regarding the possibility and the functionality of transhepatic implantation of long-term catheters for hemodialysis in patients with no other possible access routes. Methods: Retrospective observational analysis was made of the charts of six patients in which nine tunneled dialysis catheters were implanted by the percutaneous transhepatic route. Transhepatic catheters were placed in the absence of an available peripheral venous site. Patients were monitored to evaluate technical success, the complication rate, the infection rate and the duration of catheter patency. Results: Four men and two women aged 31 to 85 years (mean age: 55 years). Technical success was 100%. The mean duration of catheter function was 300.5 days (range: 2 to 814 days). Means of primary and secondary patency were 179.60 and 328.33 days, respectively. The catheter thrombosis rate was 0.05 per 100 catheter-days as the infection rate. There were three early complications (within the first 30 days of catheter implantation): two catheter displacement and one infection. Two late complications were observed: one thrombosis and one migration. Three patients (50%) needed to have their catheters changed. The 30-day mortality rate was 33% but with no relation to the procedure. Conclusion: It may be suggested that this technique is safe, however transhepatic hemodialysis catheters may be used in patients with no other options for deep venous access for hemodialysis, albeit as a last resort access route.