External iliac arteriovenous fistula following total hip arthroplasty. A case report

An external iliac arteriovenous fistula developed 3 years after revision of the acetabular component of a total hip arthroplasty in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. The mechanism of this complication, which also produced disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, was chronic erosion of the iliac artery from a large bolus of bone cement and/or the protrusio shell that were used to reconstruct a severe acetabular protrusio. Care must be taken to avoid intrapelvic intrusion of hardware or cement during acetabular reconstruction to avoid immediate and late injury to the iliac vessels.