Objective To investigate the effect of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) on autogenous arteriovenous fistula malfunction in hemodialysis patients. Methods A prospective trial was conducted in patients whose arteriovenous fistula (AVF) was salvaged by PTA in our hospital. Results Juxta-anastomosis stenosis was confirmed by fistulogram in 12 AVFs. PTA was performed in 7 AVFs with late malfunction and 5 AVFs with early malfunction. Technical success rate was 91.7%(11/12). In 7 patients with late AVF malfunction, clinical success rate was 85.7% (6/7), and the patients were followed up for 8.6 (3.3～14.8) months. The primary AVF patency rate was 100%. In 5 patients with early AVF malfunction, re-stenosis occurred after 3 months in one patient, and the other 4 AVFs matured eventually. Conclusions PTA successfully improves the fistula patency, and is an effective therapeutic modality for the treatment of AVF malfunction in hemodialysis patients.