title: Balloon-assisted maturation for arteriovenous fistula maturation failure: an early period experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Balloon-assisted maturation (BAM) is emerging as a salvage management for arteriovenous fistula maturation failure (AVF MF). However, BAM is a relatively new, yet controversial technique for AVF maturation. Therefore, we evaluated the effectiveness of BAM for AVF MF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2012 and December 2014, 249 AVFs were created. The total MF rate was 24.8%. But, only 110 AVFs were enrolled, including 74 brachiocephalic (BC) AVFs and 36 radiocephalic (RC) AVFs. The follow-up period was 12 months. Among those, there were 42 MFs (22 BC AVFs and 20 RC AVFs) and 68 maturation successes (MS) (52 BC AVFs and 16 RC AVFs). BAM was involved in MF group. We compared the clinical characteristics, AVF flows, and AVF flow ratios of MF and MS groups. Also, we evaluated the etiology, management, and result of MF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in clinical characteristics between MF and MS groups. In MF group, 39 balloon angioplasties (BAs) for 42 AVF MFs were performed. Number of BA was 1.45 ± 0.57 and duration of BA was 21.30 ± 21.24 weeks. BAM rate was 46.2%. For 1 year after AVF creation, AVF flows of MS group were significantly larger than those of MF group (P < 0.05) but there was no difference in AVF flow ratio between MF and MS groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BA for AVF MF is a relatively applicable and effective modality. Although a large volume study is necessary, we suggest BAM is an effective salvage management for AVF MF.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: In Sung
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular and Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Dong
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Arteriovenous fistula; Balloon angioplasty; Renal dialysis; Treatment failure