The characteristics of 25 men and women who have been maintenance dialysis patients for at least 14 years (average 15.7 years) were tabulated on the basis of a survey instrument. In addition to repeated problems with vascular access surgery, the most common medical problems surround difficulties with musculoskeletal system. The most severe manifestation of this was a fibrosing arthropathy and repeated pathologic fractures. Cardiovascular morbidity was less prominent. As a group, these patients were characterized largely as ‘independent, organized and cheerful’. The average calculated dose of dialysis for this group was 27 m2 · h/70 kg body weight per