The British journal of surgery
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Randomized clinical trial of selective versus routine preoperative duplex ultrasound imaging before arteriovenous fistula surgery.
Anatomical suitability for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) formation was formerly determined by clinical examination alone. There are potential benefits from imaging to assess anatomical suitability. Existing studies examined the role of routine preoperative ultrasonography versus clinical examination alone. The role of a selective duplex ultrasound imaging policy is unknown. This study aimed to compare a policy of selective versus routine ultrasound assessment before AVF formation. ⋯ NCT01004627 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).