Experience with arteriovenous fistulas in chronic hemodialysis

One hundred and five arteriovenous fistulas were created in eighty-four patients to allow chronic hemodialysis. Thirteen fistulas clotted immediately and late thrombosis was observed in thirteen anastomoses. Infection occurred in five patients: two were wound infections and three had septicemia with endocarditis in one. Except in one case, episodes of cardiac failure could not be attributed to the fistula. In some patients it was necessary to create many arteriovenous anastomoses before hemodialysis could be carried out; in five patients our efforts at dialysis with an arteriovenous fistula failed.