Venous angiography of hemodialysis fistulas. Experience with 52 studies

The authors describe a simple outpatient venous angiographic method of delineating arteriovenous fistulas constructed for chronic hemodialysis, and variations of the basic technique are offered to solve the problems of overlapping vessels and obscured anastomoses. A normal fistula produces enlargement of the involved artery only, but there may be enlargement of multiple veins in the extremity in which the fistula is constructed. Stenoses, occlusions, surgical variations, aneurysms, functional abnormalities in the direction and quantity of flow, and inadequate positioning of the dialysis needles are discussed.