Importance of monitoring and treatment of failed maturation in radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula in predialysis: Role of ultrasound

The aim of the study was to analyse outcomes of AVF-RC in predialysis stage in which a clinical and radiological follow up of its maturation had been done and primary failure had been treated. Material and methods: We studied 127 RC-AVF in 117 predialysis patients. All cases had a preoperative map. The RC-AVF was considered mature if it had a brachial artery flow ≥500 ml/min and a cephalic vein diameter of ≥4 mm. Primary failure was treated radiologically or surgically depending on the type of lesion. Fifty-eight patients started dialysis at the time of the study. Results: In 106 RC-AVF without thrombosis, 72 (68%) were mature and 34 (32%) were immature. A total of 97% of the immature had at least one lesion, and the most common site was the post-anastomotic vein. Lesions were found in 31% of mature RC-AVF, and 18% of patients required treatment. Radiological treatment was the most frequent for maturation failure. After 6 months, primary and secondary patency were 59% and 78%, while after 12 months they were 48% and 77%, respectively. The 80% of patients started dialysis with a distal AVF (76% RC-AVF and 4% ulnar basilic). None of the patients with treated immature RC-AVF started dialysis with CVC, while 78% of the patients started with said AVF. Conclusion: Ultrasonography for monitoring maturation provides advantages over clinical monitoring. With our management of RC-AVF in predialysis, 80% of patients start dialysis with an adequate distal AVF.