Creation of a Radial-Cephalic Arteriovenous Fistula
Nahel Elias, MD FACS
Surgical Director
Kidney Transplantation
Massachusetts General Hospital
AV fistulas provide the crucial vascular access required for patients receiving hemodialysis, a life-saving procedure for end-stage renal disease. Such patients have irreversible kidney damage and must receive a new kidney. While waiting, patients rely on hemodialysis to filter their blood to stay alive, and AV fistulas provide the sustainable vascular access required for hemodialysis.