Usefulness of Doppler Ultrasound Carried Out by the Vascular Surgeon After Loco-regional Anesthesia for Preferred Access

Preoperative vascular mapping with echo-Doppler is acknowledged as indispensable to create an arteriovenous fistula for haemodialysis (AVF). The conditions for performing this examination are not always ideal (venous vasospasm in cool temperatures, variability of the volume status in the dialysis patient). On the other hand, the use of a loco-regional anaesthesia (LRA) results in the vasodilation of the limb thus rendering it possible to use the veins which were initially considered too small. The aim of this study is to assess the functionality of our AVF when ultrasound identification was used by the surgeon after the LRA. These results have been compared with those of the preceding year during which this identification was not implemented.