[Arteriovenous fistulae for chronic haemodialysis. Report on 400 patients]

The authors report their experience of 551 arteriovenous fistulae created in 400 patients undergoing haemodialysis for chronic renal failure. The mean follow-up period was 34 months. Eighteen cases of primary thrombosis (7%) and 11 cases of secondary thrombosis (4%) were observed. There were 7 cases of local sepsis, one of these fatal, and 7 cases of systemic infection, also with one death. The authors conclude that the Cimino-Brescia fistula is superior to any other type of vascular approach in patients with chronic renal failure. They reserve vascular grafts to those cases where no other procedure is possible.