HERNANDO RYDINGS, Manuel et al. Is ultrasound follow-up necessary in humero-axillary prosthetic arteriovenous fistulas for haemodialysis?. []. , 32, 4, pp.523-528. ISSN 1989-2284.  https://dx.doi.org/10.3265/Nefrologia.pre2012.Jan.11221.

Aim: To evaluate the impact of a specific vascular access (arteriovenous fistula) unit (AVF-U) and intensive follow-up controls on the patency of humero-axillary fistulas (Hax-AVF). Patients and method: Retrospective study. Between January 2005 and December 2009, 108 Hax-AVF were implanted. From June 2007 an AVF-U was established. A preoperative Doppler ultrasonography analysis was performed and a follow-up control carried out a month after the intervention and subsequently every 3 months. Results: An analysis was made of the patency of 57 Hax-AVF performed between June 2007 and December 2009 (AVF-U Group), in comparison to 51 interventions performed during the previous 30 months (Control Group). No differences in the patency achieved were found at 12 or 24 months, with a secondary permeability at 12 months of 49% in the AVF-U Group and 52% in the Control Group. The percentage of patients needing to be reoperated was lower in the AVF-U Group (35%) than in the Control Group (67%) (P=.02). The mean number of re-operations per patient was lower in the AVF-U Group than in the Control Group (0.49 vs 1.18; P=.01). The patients of the AVF-U Group underwent fewer reoperations for obstruction as compared to the Control Group (0.42 vs 1.04; P=.01). Conclusions: In our experience, the intensive follow-up controls did not improve the patency of the Hax-AVF, although reoperations due to obstruction did diminish. The follow-up of these fistulas should be clinically based on haemodialysis data, leaving ultrasound evaluation for those cases where AVF failure is suspected.

: Prosthetic haemodialysis vascular access; Echographic follow-up.

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