Abstract
Purpose:
To illustrate the utility of color flow duplex ultrasound (CFDU) in the diagnosis and stent-graft treatment of a rare arteriovenous fistula (AVF) involving the vertebral artery and vein.
Case Report:
An iatrogenic AVF involving the right vertebral artery and vein was diagnosed in a 45-year-old man using CFDU. Treatment was recommended due to the large volume of blood shunted through the fistula and the associated loud bruit. Endoluminal treatment involved deployment of a covered stent within the vertebral artery to exclude the fistula. Postoperative CFDU confirmed the success of the treatment.
Conclusions:
CFDU can be utilized to accurately diagnose unusual lesions, such as AVFs involving the vertebral artery. The technique is also useful in planning treatment and monitoring the durability of stent-grafts implanted to obliterate this type of defect.
Keywords
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