Arteriovenous Fistula A surgeon creates an arteriovenous fistula by making a connection between an artery (which carries blood away from the heart) and a vein (which carries blood back to the heart). This artificial connection allows the vein to become larger and for the walls of the vein to thicken, a process termed maturation. A mature fistula makes it easier for the vein to be punctured repeatedly for dialysis. Maturation typically takes three to six months to occur, but in rare cases, can take up to a year. This makes advance planning for an arteriovenous fistula important. When a patient is felt to be approximately a year away from requiring dialysis, the patient should be referred for evaluation for possible creation of an arteriovenous fistula.

An arteriovenous fistula is the preferred type of vascular access due to lower rate of infection and clot formation, resulting in greater longevity than other types of vascular access. However, not everyone is a good candidate for an arteriovenous fistula, particularly older patients and patients with small veins.