Introduction:

Arterio-venous fistula for haemodialysis is the most commonly used vascular access. Its proper functionality depends on the quality of life of patients with chronic kidney disease.

Objective:

Describe patients to whom were made arterio-venous fistulas for haemodialysis.

Methods:

A retrospective descriptive study was conducted in 73 patients to whom were made an arterio-venous fistula for haemodialysis. The study variables were: age, sex, type of arterio-venous fistula, location, complications and surgical treatment of complications.

Results:

It was found a predominance of male sex and the age group of 51 to 60 years. 94.6% of the fistulas made were autologous; and, of these, 44.1% were radio-cephalic. 27.3% of the autologous fistulas and 20% of the prosthetics ones developed thrombosis, and 18.2% and 40% showed venous hypertension for autologous and prosthetic fistulas, respectively. 43.5% of the treatments performed to face complications resulted in the making of a new fistula.

Conclusions:

The patients to whom were made arterio-venous fistulas were predominantly older adults of the male sex and the most performed fistulas were the radio-cephalic autologous. As the main complication of fistulas, thrombosis was found and a few practices were performed to rescue them.

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