Evaluation of STARgraft AV for Hemodialysis Access

First in Human Evaluation of STARgraft AV for Hemodialysis Access in Comparison to ePTFE Vascular Grafts

This study is a First-in-Human, single site, prospective, randomized, controlled evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of the Healionics STARgraft AV hemodialysis access graft. The STARgraft has been demonstrated in preclinical studies to have improved resistance to the common failure mode of venous anastomosis stenosis.

Performance of the STARgraft AV will be compared against control implants of commercially available standard ePTFE grafts approved for the same use.

The study is enrolling patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) requiring hemodialysis via a prosthetic vascular graft. The study proposes to:

1. Demonstrate improved primary patency of the investigational STARgraft AV compared to the ePTFE controls over a period of 6 months, with extended results to 1 year.
2. Verify safety of the STARgraft AV multilayer construction in extended vascular access use.

It is intended to enroll 25 subjects each for the investigational devices and the controls respectively (50 total) with randomized device allocation at subject presentation for implant surgery.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male or female, > 18 years or age.
2. Patient has given informed consent to participate in the trial.
3. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study.
4. Able to effectively communicate with study personnel.
5. Candidate for a new arterio-venous graft placed in the upper arm.
6. Life expectancy judged to be at least 2 years.
7. Axillary vein of greater than or equal to 7 mm in diameter.
8. Brachial artery of greater than or equal to 4 mm in diameter.
9. Systolic blood pressure equal to or greater than 120 mmHg.
10. Absence of central venous stenosis downstream from implant site confirmed with ultrasound and/or angiogram.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Unable or unlikely to comply with trial protocol and/or follow-up.
2. Pregnancy.
3. Clinical morbid obesity.
4. Anatomical limitations.
5. Immunodeficiency syndrome.
6. History of bacterial infection within 8 weeks prior to graft implantation.
7. History of hypercoagulation or bleeding disorders.
8. Elevated platelet count > 1 million per microliter of blood.
9. History of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia syndrome (HIT).
10. Medically confirmed stenosis of the veins downstream of the implant site.
11. Inadequate arterial flow or pressure proximal to the implant site.
12. Currently participating in another investigation drug or device study which may clinically interfere with any endpoints of this trial.
13. Fever greater than 38° C.
14. Prior allergic reaction to silicone.