Endoluminal Treatment of Traumatic Arteriovenous Fistula of the Axillary Artery

Abstract

A 21-year-old male sustained a gunshot wound to the anterior right chest. The entrance wound was at the midclavicular line. He was haemodynamically stable upon arrival at the emergency department. He underwent initial resuscitation with intravenous fluids. There was no evidence of haemothorax or pneumothorax on chest X-ray. The right radial pulse was present but diminished when compared with the left. The patient had minor neurological symptoms in the right upper extremity, which consisted mainly of weakness of the interosseous muscles of the hand. An arteriogram was obtained, which revealed an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) of the right axillary artery and vein (Fig. 14.1a). The patient remained haemodynamically stable throughout the evaluation period.