A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial of the Clinical Effectiveness of Obligatory Versus Elective Duplex Ultrasound Scanning Prior to Arteriovenous Fistula Formation for Haemodialysis Vascular Access in a University Teaching Hospital.
A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial of the Clinical Effectiveness of Obligatory Versus Elective Duplex Ultrasound Scanning Prior to Arteriovenous Fistula Formation for Haemodialysis Vascular Access in a University Teaching Hospital.
Dialysis patients have their blood filtered by a machine as their kidneys no longer work. To get blood in and out of these patients it is possible to perform a surgical procedure to increase to size and durability of a vein in the arm to allow repeated needle insertion. This enlarged vein is called a fistula. There is some evidence that ultrasound scanning the blood vessels in the arm before surgery can improve the chances of a successful procedure. The investigators aim to test whether scanning all patients is better than scanning only those who are difficult to assess by physical examination alone.
We will recruit all patients undergoing primary vascular access procedures in our unit who meet inclusion criteria. They will be randomised to either surgery based on clinical findings with duplex ultrasound only if requested by surgeon, or routine duplex ultrasound prior to surgery.
Inclusion Criteria:
General inclusion criteria;
Exclusion Criteria:
Specific exclusion criteria;
General exclusion criteria;