title: Effect of Chinese herbal fomentation on arteriovenous fistula maturation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study objectives were to examine the effects of Chinese herbal fomentation on radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients' preoperative evaluation, operative procedure, and follow-up information records were reviewed to identify patients undergoing radiocephalic AVF procedures for maintenance hemodialysis. All patients underwent preoperative vessel ultrasound. The ultrasound examinations were repeated every 2 months after the operative procedure. From the day after the operation, the forearm of the patient is fomented with a mixture of Dan Shen and Hong Hua in dry powdered form dissolved in fresh warm water. The fomentation lasted for 60 minutes, once a day for 28 consecutive days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-four (64) specific access site operations were yielded in 62 patients for analysis. Forty-nine (49; 76.6%) of the 64 fistulas were considered sonographically mature and 15 (23.4%) were deemed sonographically immature. The sonographically mature fistulas (n=46) that were suitable for puncture had blood flow of 655±132 mL/minute, and venous diameter of 4.5±0.3 mm. The most frequent complication was thrombosis before first use, which accounted for 6 AVFs failures to mature (0.16 per patient-year). There were two hospitalizations for fistula-related bacteremia in the group (0.05 per patient-year).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Chinese herbal fomentation reduced the frequency of early thrombosis of new AVFs and was accompanied by an increase in the proportion of AVFs that were suitable for dialysis.
authors: Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun City, Jilin Province, China. tyq1229@yahoo.com.cn
authors: YanQing
authors: Y
authors: Tong
authors: Yue
authors: Y
authors: Jing
authors: ZhengPing
authors: Z
authors: Qu
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D016470:Bacteremia; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014654:Vascular Patency; D014680:Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000601:surgery; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal