The purpose of this study was to assess the value of the parallel wire balloon angioplasty technique for treating dysfunctional hemdialysis fistula with rigid stenosis, and this type of lesion was resistant to conventional angioplasty.

Between March 2002 and August 2003, we included 6 patients (mean age: 59, males: 2, females: 4) who were treated via parallel the wire balloon angioplasty technique and their hemodialysis fistula has stenoses that were resistant to conventional angioplasty. We performed conventional angioplasty in all patients, but we failed to achieve sufficient dilatation. In the cases of highly resistant stenosis, an additional 0.016 inch wire was inserted into the 7 F vascular sheath. During angioplasty, a 0.016 inch guide wire was inserted between the balloon and the stenosis and then it was pushed to and fro until the balloon indentation disappeared. After the procedure, we performed angiography to identify the residual stenosis and the procedure-related complications.

The undilatable stenoses in 5 patients were successfully resolved without complications via the parallel wire angioplasty technique. In one patient, indentation of balloon was not resolved, but the residual stenosis was both minimal and hemodynamically insignificant.

The parallel wire angioplasty technique seems to be a feasible and cost-effective method for treating a dysfunctional hemodialysis fistula with undilatable and rigid stenosis.