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Post-traumatic thoracic arteriovenous fistulas.
Payam Pooyan1, Lata Shah, Sujatha Goli
1Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mountain Home, TN 37684-4000, USA.
Tennessee Medicine : Journal of the Tennessee Medical Association
|May 14, 2005
Summary
Rare cases of post-traumatic arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) in the thorax were diagnosed late in a 70-year-old male. Two thoracic AVFs involving intercostal and pulmonary vessels were found, with no complications after three years.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Thoracic Surgery
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Post-traumatic arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) are uncommon vascular lesions.
- Thoracic AVFs, specifically, are rarely reported in medical literature.
- Delayed diagnosis of these conditions can pose challenges.
Observation:
- A 70-year-old male presented with a delayed diagnosis of two post-traumatic thoracic AVFs.
- The fistulas represented abnormal communications between an intercostal artery and an intercostal vein, and an intercostal artery and a pulmonary vein.
- The patient remained asymptomatic throughout a three-year follow-up period.
Findings:
- The study identified two distinct post-traumatic thoracic arteriovenous fistulas.
- These fistulas connected an intercostal artery to both an intercostal vein and a pulmonary vein.
- No complications or symptoms related to the AVFs were observed during the follow-up.
Implications:
- This case highlights the possibility of asymptomatic and delayed presentations of thoracic AVFs.
- It underscores the importance of considering rare vascular anomalies in patients with a history of thoracic trauma.
- The findings suggest that some thoracic AVFs may be managed conservatively, even with delayed diagnosis.