Back
For best output, select "Paper Size" as "A4" and "Margin" as "0" or "None".
To save or print to PDF, please select Print Destination > Save as PDF, enable Background Graphics under "More Settings", then click "Save".
During the congress, E-Posters will be accessible to all participants on the congress website 24/7, as well as in the E-poster stations in the congress center.
Preparing your E-Poster
Please review the E-Poster format requirements carefully when preparing your E-Poster. Should your E-Poster not meet the mentioned requirements, it may not be displayed as described above.
E-Poster Submission Deadline
Please prepare and upload your E-Poster no later than March 14, 2026 11.59PM CET. After this date, you will no longer be able to prepare and upload your E-poster and it will not be displayed and accessible on the congress website.
Please follow the instructions below to input your abstract title.
Abstract titles should be brief and reflect the content of the abstract.
Stenosis of arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) and arteriovenous grafts (AVG) is a common complication of hemodialysis. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) is the standard treatment and a core skill for junior nephrologists. However, it is unclear how many cases are required to achieve procedural proficiency. This study evaluated the learning curve for fluoroscopy-guided PTA of dialysis access performed by junior nephrologists, comparing outcomes by operator experience.
We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of 197 consecutive PTA procedures performed between November 2023 and October 2025. Five junior nephrologists were included. To estimate the proficiency threshold, we applied cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis using procedure time as the performance metric; the inflection point occurred at 20.8 cases. We then compared procedures by operator experience: ≤20 cases (n=67) vs ≥21 cases (n=130). Baseline variables included age, sex, primary kidney disease, months since hemodialysis initiation, and months since AV access creation. We also recorded assistant experience (number of prior cases), brachial artery flow, vascular resistance index, puncture attempts, procedure time, and complications.
Baseline patient characteristics did not differ between ≤20 and ≥21 case groups for age, sex, primary disease, months since dialysis initiation, or months since AV access creation. Assistant experience differed (46.1 vs 32.6 cases; p<0.001). Hemodynamic parameters were similar (brachial artery flow 295.7 vs 314.0 mL/min; resistance index 0.69 vs 0.68; both non-significant). Mean procedure time was significantly shorter for operators with ≥21 cases (63.4 vs 46.0 minutes; p<0.001). There were no significant differences in puncture attempts (1.4 vs 1.3; p=0.41) or complication rates (11.9% vs 6.9%; p=0.29).
CUSUM analysis identified a proficiency threshold at approximately 21 cases for junior nephrologists performing PTA of dialysis access. Operators with ≥21 prior cases achieved substantially shorter procedure times without increases in puncture attempts or complications. Notably, even operators with ≤20 cases performed PTA safely under supervision, suggesting that structured assistance enables safe early-experience procedures while proficiency continues to develop.
