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.