Iatrogenic arterioportal fistulae: diagnosis and management

Arterioportal fistulae can develop from a variety of causes, either congenital, iatrogenic, or acquired. They can have a varied clinical presentation including acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding, ischemic colitis, abdominal pain, ascites, and abdominal bruit. In the past the treatment has been ligation and surgical excision of the fistula with repair of the artery and vein or hepatic lobectomy. We report two patients with arterioportal fistulae between the hepatic artery and portal vein as a result of liver biopsy and transhepatic portography. Both patients were treated successfully by nonoperative radiologic intervention.