Importance of bidirectional arterial flow in dialysis fistula construction.

The normal direction of blood flow in end of cephalic vein to side of radial artery arteriovenous dialysis fistulas in the wrist was antegrade in the proximal arterial limb and retrograde through the distal arterial limb. There were no instances of arterial insufficiency in the hand due to a steal phenomenon. These findings support the surgical construction of end of vein to side of artery fistulas.