[Therapy of pulmonary arteriovenous aneurysm]

Connections of branches of the pulmonary artery to branches of the pulmonary vein resulting in aneurysmatic dilatation are defined as pulmonary arterio-venous aneurysm (pava). The spontaneous course shows a morbidity of 26% and a mortality of 11% within a six-year observation period following diagnosis. If there is an arterial branch with small diameter (< 15 mm) we recommend the embolisation with the catheter; this procedure is less stressing for the patient and does not involve the loss of pulmonary tissue. If the arterial branch has a big diameter, if a complex pava or a pulmonary abscess is present a conventional surgical resection should be envisaged.