Vascular access in uraemic patients

Abstract EN

Background : Patients wit end stage renal disease are in utmost need for some form of venous access to be scheduled for chronic haemodialysis program.

Objective : To review a personal experience in dealing with uraemic patients who required repeated phlebotomies and intravenous infusion, which may have caused thrombosis of many superficial veins.

Methods : A retrospective study of 500 patients with end stage renal disease underwent creation of arterio venous fistula for chronic haemodialysis program at the department of Thoracic and Vascular surgery at the Medical City Teaching Hospital in Baghdad during five years between (1998–2002 inclusive ).

It illustrates the technique used and presents the surgical complications met with in these cases.

Results : Most of the patients 490 (98 %) had successful creation of AV fistula with nice maturation of the vein and they were scheduled on chronic haemodialysis program.

Ten patients (2 %) were unfit for fistula creation.

In only thirty patients (6 %) surgical complications are met with.

Conclusion : Sparing one limb veins in uraemic patients at the time of diagnosis will aid in the success of arteriovenous fistula, decreasing its complications.