Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter to the Editor
  • Published:

Arteriovenous fistula formation in a volunteer allogeneic peripheral blood progenitor cell donor

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 40, pages 501–502 (2007)Cite this article

The use of peripheral blood progenitor cells following G-CSF administration for allografting has increased dramatically in the last decade in both the related and unrelated settings. Although generally safe, peripheral blood progenitor cell donation has been associated with adverse events. Most events are related to the use of growth factors to mobilize progenitor cells and include bone pain, headache, nausea, myalgias and local reactions at the injection site.1, 2 Rarely, the use of G-CSF has been associated with splenic rupture in normal donors.3, 4 Apheresis is also associated with complications including hypotension, hypocalcemia and venipuncture complications.5 In a retrospective review of 2386 apheresis donors, 0.53% experienced venipuncture-related complications including hematoma development, pain or swelling at the venipuncture site, venous infiltration or peripheral neuropathy.5 An additional review reported venipuncture complications in 1.15% of apheresis donations.6

We describe a volunteer donor who developed an arteriovenous fistula after peripheral blood progenitor cell donation. The donor is a 23-year-old healthy woman. She received G-CSF 10 μg/kg/day subcutaneously for 5 days followed by a single standard volume (12 L) apheresis. A peripheral venous catheter was placed in each antecubital fossa without difficulty and the apheresis procedure was well-tolerated and uncomplicated.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1

References

  1. Murata M, Harada M, Kato S, Takahashi S, Ogawa H, Okamoto S et al. Peripheral blood stem cell mobilization and apheresis: analysis of adverse events in 94 normal donors. Bone Marrow Transplant 1999; 24: 1065–1071.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Anderlini P, Przepiorka D, Seong D, Miller P, Sundberg J, Lichtiger B et al. Clinical toxicity and laboratory effects of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (filgrastim) mobilization and blood stem cell apheresis from normal donors, and analysis of charges for the procedures. Transfusion 1996; 36: 590–595.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Nuamah NM, Goker H, Kilic YA, Dagmoura H, Cakmak A . Spontaneous splenic rupture in a healthy allogeneic donor of peripheral-blood stem cell following the administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (g-csf). A case report and review of the literature. Haematologica 2006; 91 (5 Suppl): ECR08.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Falzetti F, Aversa F, Minelli O, Tabilio A . Spontaneous rupture of spleen during peripheral blood stem-cell mobilisation in a healthy donor. Lancet 1999; 353: 555.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Despotis GJ, Goodnough LT, Dynis M, Baorto D, Spitznagel E . Adverse events in platelet apheresis donors: a multivariate analysis in a hospital-based program. Vox Sang 1999; 77: 24–32.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. McLeod BC, Price TH, Owen H, Ciavarella D, Sniecinski I, Randels MJ et al. Frequency of immediate adverse effects associated with apheresis donation. Transfusion 1998; 38: 938–943.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Droll KP, Lossing AG . Carotid-jugular arteriovenous fistula: case report of an iatrogenic complication following internal jugular vein catheterization. J Clin Anesth 2004; 16: 127–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Toursarkissian B, Allen BT, Petrinec D, Thompson RW, Rubin BG, Reilly JM et al. Spontaneous closure of selected iatrogenic pseudoaneurysms and arteriovenous fistulae. J Vasc Surg 1997; 25: 803–808.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kong D, Melo LG, Gnecchi M, Zhang L, Mostoslavsky G, Liew CC et al. Cytokine-induced mobilization of circulating endothelial progenitor cells enhances repair of injured arteries. Circulation 2004; 110: 2039–2046.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Shi Q, Bhattacharya V, Hong-De Wu M, Sauvage LR . Utilizing granulocyte colony-stimulating factor to enhance vascular graft endothelialization from circulating blood cells. Ann Vasc Surg 2002; 16: 314–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

    A K Kew, G Kells & S Couban

  2. Department of Surgery, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

    J Legare

Authors
  1. A K Kew
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J Legare
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G Kells
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S Couban
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A K Kew.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kew, A., Legare, J., Kells, G. et al. Arteriovenous fistula formation in a volunteer allogeneic peripheral blood progenitor cell donor. Bone Marrow Transplant 40, 501–502 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1705753

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1705753

Search

Advanced search

Quick links