Vascular Allografts for AV Access
What is it?
For patients who require hemodialysis access, 38% of them require grafts such as CryoVein and CryoArtery as an alternative to an autologous AV fistula.1 Up to 19% of patients with a synthetic hemodialysis graft have a graft infection.2 CryoVein and CryoArtery are ideal solutions to treat these infections and potentially save the hemodialysis site.3
The Ideal Grafts for:
- Patients in whom an autologous AV fistula is not possible
- Treating infected AV access grafts
- Patients who are at risk of AV access infections
- Patients with a limited number of AV access sites
Key Benefits:
- 72% cumulative patency at 24 months4
- Excellent resistance to infection4
- Outstanding durability5
- Same pulsatile flow dynamics & compliance as autografts6

Tissue | Diameter | Length | Catalog Number |
---|---|---|---|
Femoral Vein | 6mm - 15mm | 10cm - 30+cm | V060 |
Femoral Artery | 4mm - 5+mm | 10cm - 30+cm | R020 |
Saphenous Vein | 3mm - 6mm* | 20cm - 80+cm* | V010 |
*pressurized
A CryoVein Femoral Vein Implant Technique for AV Access
To minimize the risk of arterial steal, taper the arterial end of the CryoVein Femoral Vein using an angled cut of the allograft and oversewing the heel of the graft with 6-0 polypropylene suture to create a 4mm3, 5mm7, or 6mm diameter8.

Learn More
Read the clinical update from the National Kidney Foundation about how cryopreserved allografts can effectively manage infected AV grafts.
References
- Scott E et al. Conduits for hemodialysis access. J Sem Vasc Surg 2007;158-163.
- Akoh J. Prosthetic arteriovenous grafts for hemodialysis. J Vasc Access 2009;10:137-47.
- Lin P et al. Management of infected hemodialysis access grafts using cryopreserved human vein allografts. Am J Surg 2002;184:31-6.
- CryoLife data on file (ML0101).
- Brown K et al. Arterial reconstruction with cryopreserved human allografts in the setting of infection: a single-center experience with midterm follow-up. J Vasc Surg 2009;49:660-6.
- Bia D et al. Differential function coupling between human saphenous cryoallografts and arteries: importance of the arterial type and the biomechanical parameter evaluated. Artif Organs 2007;31(11):809-818.
- Matsuura J, et al. Cryopreserved femoral vein for difficult hemodialysis access. Ann Vasc Surg 2000;12:50-5.
- Matsuura J, et al. Hemodialysis graft infections treated with cryopreserved femoral vein. Cardiovasc Surg 2002. 10;6:561-65.
Vascular Allografts