Arteriovenous (ar-TEER-ee-oh-VEE-nus) (AV) fistula (FIST-yoo-lah)

Surgical connection of an artery directly to a vein, usually in the forearm, created in patients who will need hemodialysis (see dialysis). The AV fistula causes the vein to grow thicker, allowing the repeated needle insertions required for hemodialysis.

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