Influence of intraoperative findings on immediate flow through radial-cephalic arteriovenous wrist fistulas for hemodialysis access

BACKGROUND: Adequate flow through a newly created arteriovenous fistula depends on multiple characteristics of the vessels and patient comorbidities. Several studies have related preoperative findings to failure, but few have analyzed the influence of intraoperative findings. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the predictive value of intraoperative findings on the immediate outcome of radial-cephalic arteriovenous wrist fistulas (RCAVF) by collecting data that are easily measured intraoperatively. METHODS: We designed a cross-sectional study, in which a single surgeon performed 101 RCAVF in 100 patients at a single center. We analyzed the immediate postoperative flow, assessed by thrill intensity immediately after fistula creation, against patient demographics and intraoperative data. The following variables were analyzed: age, sex, comorbidities, length of vein visible at preoperative examination, macroscopic arterial calcification, maximum vein diameter, and length of stenosis-free vein, measured by cannulation with a urethral catheter during the procedure. The chi-square test was used both to eliminate possible bias introduced by side of venous access (left or right), and to determine predictive values of immediate thrill. RESULTS: Side of access was not associated with any significant differences in variables. Absence of macroscopic arterial calcification, successful venous catheterization using a 6 French catheter or larger, and ability to advance it more than 10 centimeters along the lumen of the proximal vein were correlated with adequate immediate postoperative thrill (p = 0.004, p < 0.001, and p = 0.005, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In this series of 101 RCAVF, both the diameter of the catheter and its progress through the proximal vein and also absence of arterial calcification had positive predictive value for achieving adequate immediate thrill after vascular access construction.