Surveillance of arteriovenous fistulae using ultrasound (SONAR) v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Surveillance Of arterioveNous fistulAe using ultRasound (SONAR study)
IRAS ID
248832
Contact name
Gavin Pettigrew
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 30 days
Research summary
The kidneys are required for excretion of excess fluid and harmful toxins. If a person develops kidney failure, the build-up of toxins and fluid can be fatal within a few days if untreated. Consequently, patients with kidney failure require either a replacement kidney (kidney transplant) or for the excess fluid and toxins to be removed from the body (dialysis).
The commonest form of dialysis involves blood being filtered by a machine to remove toxins and excessive fluid (haemodialysis). This requires a brisk flow of blood through the machine to allow the toxins to be removed. The safest way to achieve sufficient flow in the machine is by a small operation that involves joining one of the veins to one of the arteries in the arm (an arteriovenous fistula). With time, this fistula increases in size and allows sufficient flow through it to enable dialysis nurses to put two needles into the fistula (one taking blood from patient to machine, and the other returning the “cleansed” blood to the patient).
Unfortunately, the creation of an arteriovenous fistula is not an exact science and up to half of them fail within a year of being created. The reasons why this happens and how we can prevent it are largely unknown.
Our study will examine whether we can use ‘Doppler ultrasound’ to identify early problems with a fistula that may lead to it failing. At present we do not know if it is possible to identify problems in this way, or when it is best to perform a scan.
If we were able to identify fistulas that may fail, then we would aim to perform a second study to see whether it is possible to intervene at an early stage in those “at risk” fistulas to prevent them from failing.
REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/EE/0234
Date of REC Opinion
26 Jul 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion