The impact of focused transthoracic echocardiography on end stage renal failure patients requiring aterio-venous fistula surgery.

The treating anaesthetist will conduct their preoperative clinical assessment and will record their diagnosis and management plans on the research case report forms. An independent anaesthetist trained in performing TTE (Trans-Thoracic Echocardiography), and not involved directly in patient care, will perform a goal focused TTE (HART scan) The treating anaesthetist will be shown the forms and findings will be explained to them. The anaesthetist performing the TTE will not provide any opinion on management, but solely describe the findings to the treating anaesthetist The treating anaesthetist will complete a second management form (which is identical to the pre TTE form). Any adverse intraoperative events will be recorded (these are defined below) Postoperative mortality, major adverse cardiac events and NYHA status will be recorded at 1, 6 and 12 months after surgery by patient interview and medical record review. lung scan and record their findings on the case report forms. The TTE and lung scan will take 15min and be performed once.