Concomitant arteriovenous vascular malformation in skeletal muscle: a clinical, angiographic and histologic study

A vascular malformation in skeletal muscle is described in 4 patients. Pathologically and anatomically, it consists of an abundance of concomitant arteries and veins and thick-walled capillaries. Angiography demonstrates the high vascularity of the lesion, and contrast medium appears early in draining veins indicating arteriovenous shunting. In the angiograms, the highly vascular region displays a certain striation which is due to the presence of muscle fiber bundles running between the pathologic vessels. This angiographic picture suggests benignity: an intramuscular malignant tumor rarely leaves intact muscle fiber bundles passing right through it.