Peripherally located congenital arteriovenous fistulae in infancy and childhood

Significant macrofistulae between arteries and veins of congenital origin may result in the extremes of life-threatening hemorrhage or simply a cosmetically displeasing mass. The most helpful diagnostic aid is that of adequate arteriography both to determine the size, location, and extent of the fistulae. After adequate clinical and angiographic evaluation, therapy should be conservative enough to afford optimal function and radical enough to prevent death due to hemorrhage. This report includes eight patients who underwent angiographic evaluation and surgical therapy for arteriovenous malformation. Of the six living patients, five are known to have residual arteriovenous shunting.