Renal replacement therapy may come in the form of haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis or renal transplantation, and may be managed both in and out of hospital. Haemodialysis (HD) remains the most common modality of first RRT in Scotland; of 2885 patients commencing RRT during the period 2005-2009, 2264 received HD. In order to undergo HD, there must be a connection between the patient's vascular system and the dialysis machine. The most common method is surgical creation of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF), into which a needle can be inserted that in turn is connected to a dialysis machine. In 2009, 75% of Scottish patients undergoing HD underwent formation of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF). Other options for vascular access include arteriovenous grafts using synthetic materials and long-term central venous catheters, though these are associated with higher rates of occlusive and infective complications. AVF are currently regarded as the optimal form of vascular access for HD and are recommended by National guidelines. There is excellent evidence that good quality, stable vascular access is a major factor in determining survival in this group of CKD patients. Unfortunately however, around 24% - 35% of arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) fail at an early stage. Some anaesthetic techniques can influence intraoperative blood flow and venous diameter, factors which are associated with fistula success. There remains no conclusive evidence that any particular anaesthetic technique can significantly influence long term surgical outcome. This study aims to investigate whether a regional, compared to local, anaesthetic technique can affect fistula patency.