Vascular Access Surgery Timing: A Prospective European Cohort Study in Elderly Patients with ESKD.

ABSTRACT:

Key points

Only 32% of elderly patients with ESKD in Europe started hemodialysis with a functional fistula that was created on time. Vascular access was created early in 42% and late in 26% of patients, exposing these patients to unused fistulas or catheter dependency. Eventually, 90% of all patients after fistula creation started hemodialysis within the mean follow-up period of 30 months.

Background

Timing vascular access creation for older patients with ESKD is challenging. Autologous arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) are often created too early, leading to unused fistulas, or too late, necessitating central venous catheters (CVC). This study reports on vascular access creation in relation to hemodialysis initiation in European practice.

Methods

This study is a secondary

SUBMITTER: Heggen BDC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC13641530 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature