High failure rate of first arterio-venous fistula in patients starting hemodialysis treatment: a report from the Ivory Coast.

This study was conducted in order to identify the failure rate of the first arterio-venous fistula (AVF) in patients starting hemodialysis (HD) with a central venous catheter (CVC) and to search for factors responsible for this failure. A retrospective study was conducted on 85 patients on chronic HD in Abidjan, from March 15 th to April 15 th , 2007. Factors that could potentially influence the failure of the first AVF were collected.