BACKGROUND: Successful cannulation is an important prerequisite for a functional @entity2548 ( @entity2548 ). Reasons for unsuccessful cannulation of an @entity2548 are multifactorial and poorly evaluated. In our experience, a @entity1347 ( @entity1347 ) with a length of 10  cm,  <5  mm deep from the skin surface, and >6  mm diameter assessed objectively using duplex Doppler ultrasound (DDUS) imaging, in a @entity292 with brachial artery flow >500  mL/min, permits consistent cannulation. This report provides observational data on the @entity1347 of the outflow veins after @entity292 creation and a detailed long-term outcome on AVFs that needed superficialization of the @entity1347 using minimal incision superficialization technique (MIST) to make them suitable for cannulation. This report is based on prospectively collected data with a longitudinal follow-up in a large @entity1 cohort. METHODS: A prospective database was used to analyze consecutive @entity1 undergoing @entity2548 until the study end point. All @entity1 underwent a protocol-based maturation evaluation using color DDUS imaging. Unsuitable @entity1347 were surgically corrected using superficialization (by MIST or lipectomy) of deeply situated veins or @entity1347 reconstruction. RESULTS: Between February 1, 2007, and May 31, 2013, 617 new @entity2548 surgeries were performed. Outflow vein superficialization (MIST or lipectomy) or @entity1347 reconstruction was necessary in 226 of 585 procedures (38.6%) included in this analysis. Of these, 162 (72%) were performed using MIST, 50 (22%) with a single long incision, and 14 (6%) using lipectomy technique. Technical success for MIST was 100%, and only two fistulae failed to mature. The vein depth of 9.2     3.2  mm during initial vessel mapping was similar to the pre-MIST depth of 9.1     3.8  mm. Depth of @entity1347 improved to 3.1     1.0  mm after MIST. The secondary patency after MIST at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 60  months was 98%, 93.3%, 88.1%, 83.3%, and 80.9%. During the 400.8 post-MIST functional @entity292 -years, only 0.63 procedures per year were required to maintain @entity2548 patency. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that maturation of AVFs using objective criteria based on DDUS provides an opportunity to identify @entity1347 problems in outflow veins before cannulation. Most of the of the @entity2548 outflow veins (71.7%) could be transposed or superficialized using MIST, with excellent long-term outcomes.

Successful use of minimal incision superficialization technique for XXXX maturation.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity1347 :: ('MESH:C537775', 'Disease') :: ['needle access segment', 'NAS'] @entity2548 :: ('MESH:D001164', 'Disease') :: ['AVF', 'arteriovenous fistula'] @entity292 :: ('MESH:D005402', 'Disease') :: ['fistula']
@entity2548 :: (MESH:D001164,Disease) :: ['arteriovenous fistula']
