title: Nerve conduction abnormalities in the arms of patients with arteriovenous fistula.
abstract: Fifteen patients with unilateral functioning arteriovenous fistula were assessed clinically and electromyographically to identify local neurologic changes. Ten of the patients were symptomatic (motor and/or sensory) and 5 were asymptomatic. Clinically, 11 patients had signs of a mild polyneuropathy, 2 patients of ulnar neuropathy, and 1 patient had signs of median neuropathy. A decrease of the above-elbow ulnar conduction velocity was noted in the study group on the side of the functional fistula, and in the symptomatic patients only on the side of the nonfunctional/nonexisting fistula. We suggest that ulnar nerve vulnerability should be taken into consideration during construction of the fistula, as well as during dialysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halevy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gandelman-Marton
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weissgarten
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Averbukh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arlazoroff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001132:Arm / Q000294:innervation*; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects; D004576:Electromyography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction; D006435:Renal Dialysis