Background
The distal radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula (RC-AVF) is the gold standard for hemodialysis but has significant failure rates owing to occlusions and failure to mature. The size and quality of the veins play an important role in the patency of the fistula.
Objective
The aim of this study was to evaluate the no-touch technique compared with the conventional method in the distal radiocephalic fistula for hemodialysis in terms of patency and complications.
Patients and methods
A prospective randomized study including 80 patients with ESRD in need for hemodialysis access was done between March 2016 and March 2017 and followed up to October 2017 at Menoufia university hospital. The patients were randomly categorized into two groups (no-touch group that included 40 patients where the vein and artery were dissected with the surrounding tissue cushion and conventional group that included 40 patients). Primary failure, primary and secondary patency rates, and complications of each group were collected and analyzed. Patients with vein caliber less than 2.5 mm, previous arteriovenous fistula, without venous continuity in the arm, or with severely atherosclerotic radial artery were excluded from the study.
Results
In the no-touch group, primary fistula failure was 7.5%, whereas three (7.5%) fistulas failed later one owing to thrombosis (one case), anastomotic pseudoaneurysm (one case), and anastomotic stenosis (one case). Primary and secondary patency rates at 6 months were 85 and 90%, respectively, whereas in the conventional group, primary fistula failure was 17.5%, whereas eight (20%) fistulas failed later owing to thrombosis (two cases), anastomotic pseudoaneurysm (two cases), anastomotic stenosis (three case), and venous hypertension (one case). Primary and secondary patency rates at 6 months were 62.5 and 67.5%, respectively
Conclusion
The results of this study indicate that no-touch technique can be used for primary radiocephalic fistula surgery with better patency rate and less complications compared with conventional method. This method offers the potential to create a RC-AVF in patients with distal cephalic veins 2.5 mm or more in caliber with encouraging results.