Onset of arterial 'steal' following proximal angioaccess: immediate and delayed types.

Background: Critical hand ischaemia following angioaccess is a potentially devastating complication and timely surgical repair is necessary to prevent permanent sequelae. However, the duration of the post-operative surveillance needed to exclude its occurrence has not been determined.

Methods: A retrospective review conducted over a 10-year period revealed 28 patients with critical hand ischaemia following access and surgical repair.