Traumatic arteriovenous fistula. Case report.

A young man with a fistula between the right femoral artery and vein due to bullet wound presented 6 years later with exertional dyspnea and palpitations and venous insufficency of the right leg. Angiography showed a wide (greater than 20 mm) arteriovenous fistula. Moderate cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac output 14.8 l/min were found. During division and closure of the fistula, 8 l/min flow was measured in the right external iliac artery. The cardiac symptoms disappeared immediately and the venous insufficiency gradually.