Perioperative Vascular Access Mapping in Patients with Hemodialysis: A Comparative Study of Access Navigation and Selection in Jordan

Qusai Aljarrah,1 Lujain Al Bakkar,1 Sohail Bakkar,2 Ahmad K Abou-Foul,3 Mohammed Z Allouh4,5 1Department of General Surgery & Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan; 2Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, 13133, Jordan; 3Institute of Cancer and Genomic Studies, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; 4Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan; 5Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab EmiratesCorrespondence: Qusai Aljarrah, Department of General Surgery & Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan, Tel +962 77 559 3131, Email [email protected] Mohammed Z Allouh, Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates, Tel +971 3 713 7551, Email [email protected]: This study aimed to elucidate the impact of three different mapping methods on the outcomes of arteriovenous fistula (AVF), including the traditional physical examination (PE) method, color duplex ultrasonography (CDU) mapping conducted by a radiologist (CDU-R), and CDU mapping performed by the operating surgeon (CDU-S).Patients and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary center in Jordan. Patients were divided into three groups based on the venous mapping method: PE, CDU-R, and CDU-S. Various outcomes were analyzed, including immediate technical success, clinical adequacy at 3 months, and 1-year patency rates. Additional demographic and clinical factors influencing access patency or contributing to early failure were also examined.Results: The study included 303 eligible patients: 100 in the PE group, 103 in the CDU-R group, and 100 in the CDU-S group. The overall immediate technical success rate was 72%, which was highest in the CDU-S group (95%, p < 0.001). Additionally, the CDU-S group had the highest clinical access adequacy rate (78%, p < 0.01). Notably, the mapping method also influenced the anatomical location of the AVF, as none of the patients in the radiologist group had a forearm AVF. CDU-R, forearm location, intraoperative arterial calcifications, and operative duration were identified as predictors of AVF failure.Conclusion: The results suggest that perioperative vascular mapping by the operating surgeon not only results in a higher rate of immediate success but also improves access adequacy and prevents unnecessary delays in providing an effective lifeline for hemodialysis patients. The present study highlights the burden of access failure in these patients and the evolving evidence surrounding preoperative vein mapping.Keywords: access adequacy, access patency, arteriovenous fistula, hemodialysis, renal disease, vascular mapping