Connection Between a Long-standing Traumatic Arteriovenous Fistula and Development of Aneurysmal Disease

Long-standing peripheral arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are always accompanied by ectasia of the proximal arteries. In the literature, traumatic fistulas of the lower limbs are frequently reported to be associated with iliac and even infrarenal aortic aneurysms; however, no study dealing with associated visceral aneurysms has been published. We report a case in which a traumatic AVF was accompanied by the late development of not only an infrarenal aortic anuerym but also both superior mesenteric and right renal artery aneuryms. No causal relationship may be inferred between the tibial fistula and the other aneurysms, but this previously unreported finding does raise the question of a possible connection.     

Coronary arteriovenous fistulas with giant aneurysm: two case reports.

Coronary arteriovenous fistulas are rare, particularly in association with coronary aneurysms. Two rare cases of patients with coronary arteriovenous fistulas and giant aneurysmal formation are described. A right coronary fistula that drained into the superior vena cava was demonstrated in one patient. The remaining patient had a documented left coronary fistula that drained into a main pulmonary artery and had evidence of several plexal vessels that transversed through the pulmonary trunk and toward the pericardial reflex. Under cardiopulmonary bypass, the fistulas and plexal vessels were successfully ligated without any injury to the native coronary circulation.     

Bilateral congenital renal arteriovenous fistulas

Bilateral renal arteriovenous (AV) fistulas were discovered in a patient with refractory hypertension. The lesion in the right kidney appeared to be congenital, whereas the etiology of the left-sided lesion could not be determined. Ablation of both fistulas effected a significant decrease in blood pressure. The angiographic appearance of a renal AV fistula often reveals its cause. These fistulas can cause significant morbidity. A review of 49 cases of congenital renal AV fistulas reveals that most are found in women and in the right kidney. Bilateral renal AV fistulas have not been previously described. Hypertension commonly develops in patients with renal AV fistulas and may resolve or improve upon fistula ablation. Improvement in blood pressure after fistula ablation occurs more frequently in traumatic fistulas than in congenital ones. Although the pathophysiology of hypertension is felt to be the shunting of the blood flow by the fistula from the renal parenchyma and subsequent stimulation of the renin system, renal vein renin sampling may be of little diagnostic value.     

Renal arteriovenous fistula after nephrectomy

Postnephrectomy renal arteriovenous fistulas are rare. An arteriovenous fistula of the right renal pedicle was discovered in a 37-year-old woman who had undergone nephrectomy for renal tuberculosis nine months previously, after she had complained of dyspnea and pain in the right flank. The fistula was confirmed on arteriograms. Proximal ligation of the artery and distal ligation of the vein were followed by an uneventful recovery. Twelve months later, the patient was asymptomatic. Even though complete excision of the fistula represents the ideal treatment of this type of lesion, simple ligation can provide good results when the size of the fistula contraindicates embolization.     

Ex vivo repair of a large renal artery aneurysm and associated arteriovenous fistula

The development of a renal artery to vein arteriovenous fistula due to a large extraparenchymal renal artery aneurysm is uncommon. Previous surgical experience with this entity is limited. Based on the existing surgical literature, nephrectomy has been the treatment of choice. We report preservation of the kidney by surgical correction of this entity using ex vivo "bench" repair in a middle-aged female with fibromuscular dysplasia of the renal artery. The technique, results, and recommendations for surgical management are discussed.     

Spontaneous arteriovenous fistulas of cerebral vessels in association with fibromuscular dysplasia

Four cases of spontaneous arteriovenous fistula seen in association with fibromuscular dysplasia of the parent artery are presented. In two patients, the fistula was between the carotid artery and cavernous sinus; in two others, the fistula involved the vertebral artery and paravertebral veins. It is postulated that the angiopathy was responsible for the fistula. Treatment by detachable balloon embolization was successful in each case; however, the presence of the fibromuscular dysplasia made treatment more difficult.     

Diagnostic à l’échographie Doppler d’une fistule artérioveineuse rénale post-biopsie: Intérêt pour le milieu tropical

We report the case of a 37-year-old woman who had previously undergone percutaneous renal biopsy and in whom color duplex Doppler ultrasonography revealed an arteriovenous fistula associated with a false aneurysm of the lower interlobar artery of the right kidney. The fistula was treated with embolization in a specialized center in North America. At follow-up, the false aneurysm was monitored by Doppler ultrasonography until it resolved spontaneously. We emphasize the valuable and decisive role of color Doppler ultrasound for the diagnosis of arteriovenous fistulas following percutaneous renal biopsy in a tropical environment where the choice of equipment is limited by financial constraints.     

Transluminal repair of large intrarenal arteriovenous fistulas

Renal arteriovenous fistulas may be treated with radiological embolization or surgical ablation. Although recent reports in the literature have proposed embolization as the treatment of choice for renal arteriovenous fistulas, this form of therapy can be associated with significant morbidity in large arteriovenous communications. We report 3 cases of a large intrarenal arteriovenous fistula treated by transparenchymal repair. This technique offers an excellent method of obliterating the fistula without sacrificing the renal parenchyma.     

Acute renal failure secondary to rupture of the abdominal aortic aneurysm into the inferior vena cava: Report of two successfully treated cases

Aortocaval fistula is an unusual complication of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. We describe 2 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms who presented with acute renal failure and hepatic injury secondary to spontaneous aortocaval fistulas. The fistulas were shown by computed tomography, right heart catheterization, and abdominal aortography, and were confirmed at surgery. Increases in the fractional excretion of filtered sodium, the urine sodium concentration divided by the urine-to-plasma creatinine ratio (the renal failure index), and the urine sodium concentration were observed. The patients recovered renal and hepatic function after closure of the fistulas. Increased venous pressure resulting from aortocaval shunt might cause the alteration of renal and hepatic function. Therefore, it is important to accurately diagnose the aortocaval fistula and to close it urgently by surgical methods.     

Spontaneous common iliac arteriovenous fistula manifested by acute renal failure: a case report

Arteriovenous fistulas between the common iliac vessels resulting from spontaneous rupture of aneurysms are rare, with only 31 cases having been reported since 1971. Clinical diagnosis is possible when a unique set of findings is present, namely high-output cardiac failure, a pulsatile abdominal mass associated with a bruit or thrill, and unilateral arterial insufficiency or venous engorgement. Recently, with advancements in diagnostic techniques, the number of cases in which an arteriovenous fistula is found between the common iliac vessels has increased. Diagnosis can be difficult, however, as in the case of one of our patients in whom the predominant sign was acute renal failure. Other reports of renal failure or impairment in the presence of a common iliac fistula have also appeared. Awareness of this phenomenon can help the physician to establish the diagnosis when one or more of the classic signs are absent. Prompt diagnosis and surgical management have contributed to the high incidence of survival in patients with arteriovenous fistulas between the common iliac vessels.     

Iatrogenic renal vascular injury

Bilateral arteriovenous fistulas secondary to percutaneous needle biopsy of each kidney dcrcloped in a patient with malignant hypertension and chronic renal failure. The fistulas with aneurysmal formation and hematuria were of such magnitude that bilateral nephrectomy was required fin control. The patient is now normotensive and is maintained on hemodialysis The advisability of renal needle biopsy in uncontrolled hypertension is questioned. Cases o] intrarenal arteriovenous fistulas resulting from percutaneous needle biopsy of the kidney are being reported with increasing frequency. The exact incidence of fistula formation after kidney biopsy, is unknoun but several series based on arteriographic studies show an incidence as high as IN per cent. A1though many of these fistulas disappear spontaneonsly, approximately 4 per cent persist. A review of the literature failed to reveal the incidence of aneurysmal formation. Our case was complicated by formation of bilateral renal arteriovenous fistulas secondary to repeat bilateral percutaneous needle biopsy and right open renal biopsy. Subsequent gross hematuria from the ureteral orifice also resulted which was proved by cystoscopy and required replacement with sev eral units of blood. The likelihood of rupture led to bilateral nephrectomy.     

Spontaneous vertebral arteriovenous fistula manifestating as radiculopathy

A 61-year-old man presented with a rare case of spontaneous vertebral arteriovenous fistula manifesting as radiculopathy of the left arm. MRI demonstrated an abnormal dilated vascular space on the left ventral aspect of the spinal canal and compression of the spinal cord and subarachnoid space. MRA disclosed a single high-flow vertebral arteriovenous fistula. Angiography showed a direct high-flow fistula at the C2-3 level between the left vertebral artery and the spinal extradural veinous plexus, and an abnormal dilated left vertebral artery with "string of beads"-like feature. The fistula was successfully obliterated by coil embolization with preservation of patency of the left vertebral artery, resulting in improvement of the signs and symptoms. Retrospectively this spontaneous vertebral arteriovenous fistula was considered in association with fibromuscular dysplasia.     

Natural history of renal artery aneurysm elucidated by repeated angiography and pathoanatomical studies

The findings from repeated angiographies in 16 female and 5 male patients with altogether 34 renal artery aneurysms were studied. The mean interval between the first and last angiography was 35 months. Seven patients had multiple aneurysms. Two to four angiographies were performed in each patient. They showed no change in 28 aneurysms and slight or minimal enlargement, thrombosis or calcification in the other 6. The clinical course was uneventful except for severe hypertension in 3 patients. No rupture occurred. Eight patients, of whom 5 had solitary, saccular aneurysms, were operated upon. Pathoanatomically, fibromuscular dysplasia or secondarily changed fibromuscular dysplasia was found in 7 of them. Four died of unrelated disease having been followed up for 55-204 months (mean 102 months). Nine were alive and symptomless at the end of follow-up 11-195 months (mean 97 months) after the first angiography. The study supports the view that the risk of rupture of a renal artery aneurysm is very small, and indicates that fibromuscular dysplasia is common even when the angiography shows solitary, saccular aneurysm only.     

Wilson Disease With Giant Splenic Artery Aneurysms Caused by Fibromuscular Dysplasia During Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Case Report

Liver cirrhosis can cause splenic artery aneurysms (SAA) that pose a threat to patients undergoing liver transplantation. However, liver transplantation with multiple visceral artery aneurysms including giant SAA caused by arterial fragility has never been reported. We describe a 36-year-old man with decompensated liver cirrhosis due to Wilson disease that was complicated by giant SAA and multiple aneurysms in the bilateral renal arteries caused by fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). The maximal diameter of the triple snowball-shaped SAA was 11 cm. We planned a 2-stage strategy consisting of a splenectomy with distal pancreatectomy to treat the SAA and subsequent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) to address the liver cirrhosis. This strategy was selected to prevent fatal postoperative infectious complications caused by the potential development of pancreatic fistula during simultaneous procedures and to histopathologically diagnose the arterial lesion before LDLT to promote safe hepatic artery reconstruction. However, a postoperative pancreatic fistula did not develop after a splenectomy with distal pancreatectomy, and the pathologic findings of the artery indicated FMD. The patient underwent ABO-identical LDLT with a right lobe graft donated by his brother. Other than postoperative rupture of the aneurysm in the left renal artery requiring emergency interventional radiology, the patient has remained free of any other arterial complications and continues to do well at 2 years after LDLT.     

Asymptomatic renal infarction, due to fibromuscular dysplasia, in a young woman with 11 years of follow-up

We report a 27-year-old woman with renovascular hypertension, renal infarction, and hepatic artery aneurysm due to fibromuscular dysplasia. The patient was first noted to have renal artery aneurysm and hepatic artery aneurysm at the age of 17. The renal infarction was asymptomatic and was incidentally detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. Because of the rather peripheral location of the aneurysms, percutaneous transluminal renal artery angioplasty was considered inappropriate. This case suggests the need for long-term and periodical follow-up of patients with fibromuscular dysplasia.     

Combined percutaneous and surgical approach to a postnephrectomy arteriovenous fistula

The case of a patient with long-standing severe heart failure that was ultimately found to be secondary to a large communication between the right renal artery stump and the inferior vena cava is reported. The occurrence of an arteriovenous fistula should be suspected in patients who underwent previous nephrectomy since early diagnosis would avoid relevant cardiac complications and the demise of a patient suffering from a disease that may be corrected surgically or percutaneously. We describe a combined approach that allowed the percutaneous decompression of the inferior vena cava and relief of the volume overload to the heart prior to the surgical ligation of the arteriovenous fistula. This approach should be considered a valuable option for treating long-standing high output postnephrectomy arteriovenous fistulas.     

Hybrid therapy for rapid enlargement of hibernating coronary arteriovenous fistulas

The use of hybrid therapy for recurrent multiple coronary arteriovenous fistulas in a 56-year-old woman is reported. The patient underwent surgical closure of a coronary arteriovenous fistula of the right coronary artery under cardiopulmonary bypass at 47 years of age. Reoperation was required 9 years later for recurrence of the same fistula. It was divided under a beating heart. Early postoperative angiography showed complete occlusion of the right coronary fistula. However, hibernating fistulas of the left circumflex artery, which had been left untouched because of insignificant shunt with no remarkable change for 9 years, increased in size rapidly. Transcatheter embolization was successfully performed for these residual fistulas.     

Arteriovenous fistula and bone healing: experimental study in the rat

The incidence of fractures is greater in patients with hemodialysis than in the general population. Surgically created arteriovenous fistulas are widely used in end-stage renal failure patients for the vascular access of hemodialysis. Despite occurrence of fracture at the fistula site in the forearm, bone mineral density is similar in both arms. The effects of arteriovenous fistulas on fracture healing have not been widely studied. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that a fracture distal to a surgically-created arteriovenous fistula has negative effects in a rat osteotomy model. The tibial bones were fractured in a monocortical fashion bilaterally. No fixation method was used. The right side was used as control. On the left side of the rat, a side-to-side arteriovenous anastomosis was done between the common femoral vessels proximal to the fracture line under magnification with the operating microscope. Three weeks later, bone segments, including the monocortical osteotomy line, were removed and examined histopathologically. Although the gross appearance of callus formation was not different in both groups, histopathologically, there were more dead medullary bone and less cartilage cells around the osteotomy line in the bone associated with the arteriovenous fistula. But with short-term evaluation of the fracture sites after opening an arteriovenous connection proximal to the fracture site, no real difference was noted related to fracture healing.     

A problem in hemodialysis management: fibromuscular dysplasia of radial and ulnar arteries--report of a case.

Fibromuscular dysplasia (medial type) of the radial and ulna arteries, hitherto unreported, has been demonstrated angiographically following the malfunction of an arteriovenous shunt created for dialysis. Retrograde dilatation of the segmental stenoses caused some improvement in flow. No causal relationship is claimed between fibromuscular dysplasia and the arteriovenous shunt.     

Vascular lesions after percutaneous biopsies of renal allografts

On the basis of two arteriovenous fistulas, one arteriocaliceal fistula, and the literature concerning these complications, clinical symptoms, diagnostic measures, and therapeutic strategies are discussed. Decreased renal function, severe hypertension, and a bruit over the transplant site —particularly after core biopsy — are said to be indicative of an arteriovenous fistula, while persisting hematuria is seen as evidence of an arteriocaliceal fistula. In both cases, angiographic evaluation is indicated. Therapeutic possibilities include selective angiographic embolization and surgical repair. Large intraparenchymal fistulas may require wedge resection.