Pre-operative exercise therapy to increase blood vessel diameter in patients undergoing radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula creation

Background Post-operative upper extremity exercise is recommended to patients with arteriovenous fistulas. It postulated that increased blood flow vessels improves maturation and patency rates. Recent studies favour pre-operative therapy improve the outcomes of fistula creation. Objectives To investigate if increases vessel diameter in undergoing distal Methods 34 planned for radiocephalic creation were recruited at a tertiary university hospital Vascular Surgery Unit. Patients underwent 6-week period self-directed daily exercises before surgery. reviewed up 6 months post-surgery. The primary outcome investigated was change venous arterial diameters following intervention. secondary failure rate newly created Results After therapy, mean hand grip strength from 20.3 ± 6.62 kg 21.9 7.16 ( p=.01). There statistically significant increase basilic vein amongst those who demonstrated strict compliance least 42 days by 0.51 mm 3.23 1.09 3.74 1.31 p=.03). Primary fistulas 25% (7 28), comparable our previous series 436 which had 26%. Conclusions trend after therapy. Although not significant, successful longer completion days.