Background: To compare the immediate technical success, maturation time, and the need for further
balloon assisted maturation for radio-cephalic arteriovenous fistulas to render them
ready for hemodialysis. Method(s): Fifty-seven (57) patients with ESRD in need for vascular access for whom a radio-cephalic
arteriovenous fistula was of choice, with a cephalic vein ≤ 3 mm. They presented to
us from the period of November 2014 till January 2017, were randomized into two groups.
The cephalic vein was prepared in group (A) using hydrostatic dilatation prior to
creation of the fistula, while in group (B) the vein was prepared using a PTA balloon
catheter for primary balloon angioplasty prior to the creation of the fistula. Result(s): The technical success rate was 96.5%, 100% in both groups respectively. The reintervention
rate was 35.7%, 7.1% in both groups respectively. The mean maturation time was 43
days, 32.1 days in both groups respectively. Conclusion(s): Using primary balloon dilatation during creation of a radiocephalic arteriovenous
fistula leads to a decreased maturation time and less reintervention rate, but still
these results are statistically insignificant may be due to small number of study
sample.
