[Thrombotic complications of arterio-venous fistulas in chronically hemodialysed patients]

Treatment by means of repeated haemodialysis has been accepted as the basic method of renal substitution treatment in our country. Thrombosis has been found as the most frequent local complication in arterio-venous (A-V) fistulas. The purpose of this study has been to analyse the frequency of thrombosis in relation to the type of A-V fistula and occurrence of early thrombosis (within 24 postoperative hours). Studies have been based in 186 patients (31 children) in whom 545 A-V surgical procedures have been performed to create and maintain permanent vascular access for haemodialysis. The mean age of the patients was 37 years. Thrombosis has been detected in 41.5% of fistulas and has been found as the main cause of 49.4% secondary procedures. Most frequently they have been observed in A-V fistulas using PTFE prosthesis. Rare complications have been found in brachio-basilic and brachio-cephalic fistulas. Early thrombosis has been observed in 4.5% of A-V fistulas. The causes of early thrombosis and within 30 postoperative days have been discussed in detail. In these complications thrombectomy (60.5%) and thrombectomy combined with creating new anastomosis (31.9%) have been performed most frequently. It has concluded that the condition of anastomosed vessels is the most important factor influencing early thrombosis.