title: An experience of vascular access for hemodialysis in Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The analysis of hemodialysis services is relevant for the quality of life of patient. In this study we investigated the profile of vascular access used for hemodialysis patients in our Unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 219 patients of both genders aged over 18 years old who have undergone implant or manufacture of vascular hemodialysis access. We excluded patients on renal replacement therapy by peritoneal dialysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Associated diseases were hypertension and diabetes mellitus. 161 had arteriovenous fistula, with 153 held by the same dialysis and nine of them were still maturing. 27 patients on dialysis used central venous catheter. 148 were indigenous and five were made using polytetrafluoroethylene prosthesis (PTFE). Among the 27 patients with central venous catheters, ten used short-term catheter and 17 used long-term catheter. The most frequent type of fistula use was on the radio distal cephalic, in 85 patients (52.5%), followed by radio cephalic proximal in 26 patients (16%). The number of fistulas in dialysis patients conducted by this kind of therapy ranged from one to ten and in 64 patients (41.83%) fistula was the first and only to be made. Among the fistula for dialysis patients, the highest prevalence was radio cephalic fistula in 111 patients (72.5%) and mean duration of use was 48.1 months, ranging from two months to 17 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our Unit of hemodialysis is above the limits established by international norms.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirurgia, Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brasil. cor.jantonio@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Centofanti
authors.forename: Eliane Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Rafael N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Cavalcante
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bortolini
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: de Abreu
authors.forename: Vitor E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Valenti
authors.forename: Adilson C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Macedo
authors.forename: Yumiko R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Soraya G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Audi
authors.forename: José R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Cisternas
authors.forename: João R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Breda
authors.forename: Valdelias X
authors.initials: VX
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Edson N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Fujiki
authors.forename: João A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Correa