Arteriovenous fistulas for hemodialysis and the diabetic. A report on eighteen patients.

Twenty-three subcutaneous arteriovenous fistulas were created for hemodialysis in 18 patients with terminal renal failure due to juvenile diabetes. Seventeen patients received well-functioning fistulas. Four patients needed reoperations due to late failure and the reoperations were successful in three. Venous hypertension syndrome developed in two patients because of thrombosis of the vein proximally to the anastomosis. In one patient extensive arteriosclerotic disease was the cause of late failure of two fistulas. Sepsis with low flow state was the cause of failure in one patient. None of the patients developed clinical signs of arterial insufficiency in the operated limb.