Vascular access for hemodialysis. Clinical experience

: Seventy-nine arteriovenous fistulas for periodic hemodialysis were created in 62 uremic patients: 64 primary vascular accesses and 15 salvage operations for malfunctioning fistulas. Sixty-three distal and 1 proximal arteriovenous fistulas between the radial artery and the cephalic vein, were created as primary vascular access. The utilization time of the primary arteriovenous fistulas was longer than 5 years in 34%, 3-4 years in 25% and 0-2 years in 41% of cases. Eleven fistulas evidenced thrombosis: a salvage operation (resection-anastomosis) was possible for 9 (89%). A salvage operation was possible for 100% of poor flow fistulas. The utilization's time of the salvage fistulas is longer than 5 years in 15%, 3-4 years in 15% and 0-2 years in 70% of cases.