ARTERIOVENOUS FISTULA

Course overview

ARTERIOVENOUS FISTULAS (AVFS) ARE ABNORMAL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ARTERIES AND VEINS. AVFS CAN BE SURGICALLY CREATED, CAN OCCUR AS A RESULT OF A CONGENITAL OR GENETIC ANOMALY, OR BE SECONDARY TO IATROGENIC INJURY OR TRAUMA. OTHER THAN THE SURGICALLY CREATED TYPES OF FISTULAS, THESE ARE QUITE RARE. DUE TO THE PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE ARTERIAL AND VENOUS SYSTEMS, THESE CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT PATHOLOGIC EFFECTS ON THE BODY WITH THE SEVERITY DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE FISTULA. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ARTERIOVENOUS FISTULAS.