Surgical Treatment of a High-Flow Femoro-Femoral Arteriovenous Fistula in an Intravenous Drug Abuser

Annals of Vascular Surgery
Pietro RossettiRoberto Quintavalla

Abstract

We report the surgical treatment of a high-flow femoro-femoral arteriovenous fistula (AVF), a rare complication of intravenous drug abuse. A 36-year-old woman with history of intravenous heroin and cocaine abuse presented with right lower limb edema, inguinal bruit, and heart failure. Duplex ultrasound examination (DUS) and computed tomography angiography showed a large, high-flow AVF involving the common femoral vein and the superficial femoral artery, which is associated with thrombosis of the great saphenous vein and an important inflammation in the right groin, without active bleeding. Under general anesthesia, the patient underwent open surgical repair of the AVF through a right-groin cutdown. The 3-cm-long AVF was repaired with the interposition of a bovine pericardium patch that is sewn from inside the femoral vein through a longitudinal venotomy with a continuous 5-0 polypropylene suture. The venotomy was repaired with a 5-0 polypropylene running suture. No perioperative or postoperative complications were recorded. The inguinal bruit resolved, the arteries recovered good pulsatility, and the lower limb edema promptly reduced. A 6-month DUS confirmed the patency of the femoral arteries and veins and the absence of AVF o...Continue Reading

Citations

Jun 21, 2020·Annals of Vascular Surgery·Claudio Bianchini MassoniAntonio Freyrie

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Addiction

This feed focuses mechanisms underlying addiction and addictive behaviour including heroin and opium dependence, alcohol intoxication, gambling, and tobacco addiction.