title: Compliance with surgical follow-up does not influence fistula maturation in a county hospital population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to examine follow-up rates and maturation rates after dialysis access surgery using a fistula-first approach in a county hospital with an indigent population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospectively maintained dialysis access database was queried for cases performed between August 1, 2009 and September 30, 2011. The follow-up period ended on December 31, 2011. An attempt was made to contact patients who did not have complete follow-up data recorded to the point of fistula maturation for arteriovenous fistulas (AVF). Patients were contacted directly or through their dialysis center. Maturation was defined by successful use of the AVF for hemodialysis for at least 2 weeks for patients who are dialysis dependent or by the clinical assessment of an attending vascular surgeon for those not on dialysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred three dialysis access cases were performed. The mean age was 51.4 years. One hundred twenty-six (62%) were male and 175 (86%) were Hispanic. Of these, 194 (95.6%) were AVF. Three AVF were ligated in the postoperative period for steal. Of the remaining 191 AVF, 94 (49%) patients completed their scheduled follow-up appointments. Sixty-six (35%) patients did not come to clinic but were contacted. Twenty-six (14%) patients were completely lost to follow-up and 5 (2.6%) died. Maturation data was obtained on 160 AVF. Of those, 123 (77%) reached maturation with a mean maturation time of 112 ± 99 days (range, 21-483). Twenty patients who completed follow-up underwent at least 1 additional surgical or endovascular procedure in an attempt to achieve maturation. Seventeen (85%) patients who underwent a secondary procedure went on to achieve maturation. There was no significant difference in maturation between the group that completed follow-up and those who were contacted by phone (69 [73%] vs. 54 [81%], P = not significant).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this indigent population, follow-up does not influence maturation rates of AVF. Despite poor compliance with follow-up in the setting of a public hospital, the maturation rate of an aggressive fistula-first approach is acceptable.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: ShihYau Grace
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Vincent L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Fred A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Franchesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Electronic address: karen.woo@surgery.usc.edu.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Woo
mesh_terms: D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006766:Hospitals, County; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D008489:Medical Indigency; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016879:Salvage Therapy