[Arteriovenous fistula for pediatric hemodialysis. Experience of 9 years].

Seventy-eight A-V fistulas were constructed in 45 children whoses age were between 4 to 16 years, in order to use it for chronic hemodialysis. Twenty-four of them were external A-V shunts which were occluded by thrombosis in 13 instances and deinserted in 3 patients. Thirty-six A-V fistulas were performed with saphenous wein autograft between an artery and vein at the forearm. The main complication in this group was thormbosis in 10 instances and dilations of the graft in 5. In 9 patients, latero-lateral arteriovenous anasthomosis was performed. In these, adequate blood flow developed slowly or was poor in most patients. Six patients with saphenous-femoral anasthomosis developed thrombosis in 3 instances and venous puncture was frequently difficult. In three other patients, bovine carotid artery graft was very efficient to give a good access to circulation for hemodialysis. There was no evidence of local or cardiovascular complications associated with fistulas.