Axillary Artery to Right Atrium Shunt for Hemodialysis Access in a Patient with Advanced Central Vein Thrombosis: A Case Report

Central venous thrombosis presents a challenge to the treatment of hemodialysis patients requiring vascular access. We present the case of a patient with renal failure and virulent thrombophilia causing severe central venous thrombosis. We discuss the use of a hemodialysis shunt from the right axillary artery to the right atrium and describe the technical details and the pitfalls encountered in our utilization of this technique.