Background: This study aims to compare the patency rates of radiocephalic arteriovenous fistulas prepared preserving the perivenous vascular tissues versus those prepared using the conventional technique.

Methods: A total of 169 patients (107 males, 62 females; mean age 59.5 years; range, 39 to 87 years) who underwent a radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula construction were included in this study. In 95 patients, the tissues surrounding the cephalic vein were stripped off as per the conventional method, while the no-touch technique preserving the perivenous vascular tissues was utilized for vein harvesting in 74 patients. Patients were followed-up to compare primary and secondary patency rates of the arteriovenous fistulas at one year.

Results: Fistula failure developed in 22 patients within the first year resulting in primary patency rates of 90.5% versus 84.2% for the no-touch and the conventional groups, respectively (p=0.225). Likewise, secondary patency rates were 94.6% versus 93.7% for the no-touch and the conventional groups, respectively (p=0.803). The two groups did not differ with regards to primary or secondary patency rates.

Conclusion: Findings of this study were not in favor of the no-touch technique compared to the conventional methods in terms of arteriovenous fistula patency at one year.

Keywords : Arteriovenous fistula; hemodialysis; no-touch technique; radiocephalic