Arteriovenous Fistula of the Kidney: a Case Report of 47-Year-Old Female Patient Treated by Embolisation
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Journal of Human Hypertension (2003) 17, 293–296 & 2003 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 0950-9240/03 $25.00 www.nature.com/jhh CASE REPORT Arteriovenous fistula of the kidney: a case report of 47-year-old female patient treated by embolisation K Paschalis-Purtak1, M Januszewicz2, A Rokicki3, B Puciłowska1, J Imiela4, I Cybulska1, W Cies´la5, A Prejbisz1, M Szostek5 and A Januszewicz1 1Department of Hypertension, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland; 2II Department of Clinical Radiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland; 3Department of Radiology, Central Railway Hospital, Warsaw, Poland; 4Department of Internal Medicine, Central Railway Hospital, Warsaw, Poland; 5Department of General Surgery and Chest Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland Arteriovenous fistulas of the kidney are rare. They may embolised arteriovenous fistula. Diagnosis was made be acquired, idiopathic or arise in congenital arteriove- on the basis of colour duplex Doppler examination and nous malformations. There are only few reports in the this method enabled further successful embolisation of current literature describing the successful embolisa- the fistula. tion of idiopathic arteriovenous fistulas. We report a 47- Journal of Human Hypertension (2003) 17, 293–296. year-old hypertensive female patient with a successfully doi:10.1038/sj.jhh.1001544 Keywords: arteriovenous fistula; kidney; embolisation Introduction Case report Arteriovenous fistulas of the kidney are rare and are A 47-year-old hypertensive female patient (known classified as acquired, idiopathic or arising in a duration of hypertension: 5 years) was admitted to congenital arteriovenous malformation.1 In addi- the Department of Internal Medicine, Central Railway tion, with the more widespread use of interventional Hospital in Warsaw because of poor control of blood procedures such as percutaneous needle biopsy and pressure (BP). Prior to admission, she was found to percutaneous nephrostomy, iatrogenic fistulas have have a blood pressure of up to 240/120 mmHg. become more frequent.2 During the hospitalisation, colour duplex Doppler Congenital arteriovenous malformations have a sonography showed a vascular malformation in the cirsoid or angiomatous configuration and comprise right renal hilum. The cirsoid vessel with turbulent 14–27% of arteriovenous malformations. The term fast flow was connected to an interlobar branch of idiopathic is used to describe those fistulas in which the renal artery and efferent vein. There was the exact aetiology cannot be precisely determined. pulsatile flow detected in the renal efferent vein Idiopathic arteriovenous fistulas comprise between that gave indication of the presence of arteriovenous 2 and 5% of all arteriovenous fistulas.1 fistula. Renal angiography confirmed the diagnosis. It has been reported that duplex Doppler sono- The patient’s treatment was continued in the graphy is very effective in diagnosing arteriovenous Department of Hypertension, Institute of Cardiology, fistulas and helpful in the long-term follow-up after Warsaw. The patient complained of headaches and surgery or percutaneous embolisation.1 denied any other symptoms, including haematuria. However, in contrast to acquired fistulas, there are Past medical history was unremarkable, but there only a few reports describing successful embolisa- was a family history of hypertension. tion of an idiopathic arteriovenous fistula. On admission, physical examination was normal except for a mild tachycardia (85–90 bpm), and there was no abdominal bruit. The patient had no signs of congestive heart failure, jugular vein was not seen in the upright position, hepatojugular reflux was Correspondence: Dr K Paschalis-Purtak, Department of Hyperten- positive. Fundoscopy demonstrated hypertensive sion, Institute of Cardiology, 04-628 Warsaw, Alpejska 42, Poland. E-mail: [email protected] retinopathy, grade II. Received 25 May 2002; revised 15 December 2002; accepted 31 ABPM (before medication was started): showed a December 2002 mean BP 150/100 mmHg during the day and mean Arteriovenous fistula of the kidney K Paschalis-Purtak et al 294 BP of 125/77 mmHg during the night. The patient was treated with amlodipine 5 mg/day, bisoprolol 5 mg/day and indapamide 1.5 mg/day, and good control of BP was achieved. Laboratory studies were within normal ranges. Urinary cate- cholamines, metoxycatecholamines, plasma aldos- terone and plasma renin activity were within normal ranges. Chest X-ray was normal. Electrocardiography showed left ventricular hypertrophy. Transthoracic echocardiogram demonstrated moderate mitral and tricuspid regurgitation, the posterior wall diameter (PWD) and intraventricular septal diameter (ISD) were 1.1 and 1.2 cm, respectively. Left ventricular diastolic diameter, left atrial diameter and right Figure 1 Renal angiography show an enlarged renal artery branch ventricular diastolic diameter were 5, 4 and 5 cm, and cirsoid vessel located in the renal hilar connecting artery with respectively. The left ventricular mass, calculated renal vein. following the equation by Devereux, was 220.3 g, then normalised for body surface areaFleft ventri- cular mass indexF121 g/m2. Abdominal ultrasonography demonstrated the size of right and left kidney being 97 and 107 mm, respectively. Doppler duplex of carotid arteries showed no atherosclerotic lesions. Although the arteriovenous fistula was asympto- matic and the patient had no heart failure or haematuria, we decided to manage the arteriove- nous fistula with embolisation. Pretreatment angiography of the right renal artery showed a curved, elongated vessel connecting the medial interlobal renal artery branch with the renal vein. There was an early filling of renal vein and poor parenchymal opacification after contrast ad- ministration (see Figure 1). Then the catheter was Figure 2 Postembolisation angiography show metalic coils in the placed at the entrance of the fistula and two metalic entrance of the fistula. No flow through the fistula is present. coils (Cook Inc.) were positioned in the first segment of the cirsoid vessel. The postembolisation angio- graphy showed a direct flow through the renal artery Discussion branches to the renal parenchyma and a regular back-flow to the renal vein. Blood flow through the Since the first description of renal arteriovenous fistula was no longer seen (see Figure 2). fistulas by Varela in 1928, their exact classification On duplex Doppler (ATL 5000 HDI) examination, varies, but generally separates acquired malforma- there was no flow through the vascular malforma- tions from congenital malformations. The term tion and there were no disturbances in renal artery idiopathic is used by some authors to describe those and renal vein flow. malformations in which the exact aetiology cannot The early postinterventional period was unevent- be determined.1–4 ful and follow-up has been for 8 months. There was It should be noted that since most of arteriovenous no effect of the embolisation on BP. ABPM (anti- fistulas are asymptomatic and remain undetected, hypertensive medication was discontinued for 2 their real incidence is unknown. However, if weeks) showed a mean BP of 140/99 mmHg during diagnosed they have an important impact on clinical the day and 130/87 mmHg during the night. There- management. It should also be kept in mind that fore antihypertensive therapy was continued. arteriovenous fistulas may cause severe cardiologic Control echocardiogram disclosed mild mitral manifestations, including congestive heart failure or regurgitation and no tricuspid regurgitation; left hypertension. ventricular diastolic diameter: 4.2 cm, left atrial Since in our patient there was no clinical diameter: 3.6 cm. These suggest that there has been evidence indicating the development of iatrogenic normalisation of left ventricular volume because of or traumatic arteriovenous fistula, taking into con- the successful procedure. sideration angiographic appearance, the lesion was The long-term successful effect of the embolisa- classified as idiopathic. There was no trauma or tion was observed in repeat duplex Doppler exam- renal biopsy history and no evidence of arterio- inations. sclerosis or arteritis. Journal of Human Hypertension Arteriovenous fistula of the kidney K Paschalis-Purtak et al 295 Clinical manifestations of the arteriovenous fistu- Hypertension is found in about 40–50% of las depend on their localisation and size. The most patients with renal fistulae and may be caused by frequent clinical signs are: widened pulse pressure, local renal ischaemia resulting from a short circuit brisk arterial pulsation, mild tachycardia and a bruit of blood with increased renin secretion. However, over the region where the fistula is localised. most studies show that renal vein renin levels are Haematuria and symptoms of congestive heart fail- within normal range with no lateralisation. There- ure are often reported. It has been reported that a fore, renal vein renin sampling may be of little bruit is less frequent in cirsoid arteriovenous diagnostic value.1,14 malformations and haematuria is more common in It has also been reported that congenital arterio- congenital malformations.1,5–7 venous fistulas may cause refractory hypertension. Recently, Lekuona et al8 presented a 56-year-old Ullian and Malitoris14 described a 55-year-old female with high-output heart failure secondary to patient with severe hypertension and bilateral large congenital arteriovenous fistula successfully congenital renal arteriovenous