Background
Superior mesenteric arteriovenous fistula is a rare vascular anomaly often presenting with sequelae of portal hypertension, heart failure, or mesenteric ischemia. This report describes a patient with a previously unidentified superior mesenteric arteriovenous fistula who presented with variceal bleeding, thought to be the leading cause of mortality associated with this condition. Although this patient was initially referred for a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt procedure, following a thorough review of her clinical history and imaging, she instead underwent embolization of the arteriovenous fistula likely responsible for her symptoms.
Case Presentation
A 75-year-old woman with a past surgical history of extensive small bowel resection presented with active variceal bleeding requiring transfusions. She was referred to vascular and interventional radiology for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt procedure; however, her clinical presentation was inconsistent with cirrhosis. This prompted a further review of her imaging, which identified a superior mesenteric arteriovenous fistula as the probable etiology of her varices. This fistula was subsequently embolized with a vascular plug and follow-up upper endoscopy at 1-month demonstrated complete resolution of her varices.
Conclusions
This report highlights a potential etiology of variceal bleeding in the acutely ill patient. Through a thorough consultation, the patient described here was able to avoid a procedure with the potential to cause catastrophic consequences, and instead receive the appropriate treatment for an uncommon condition.
Level of Evidence
Level 4, Case Report.
Superior mesenteric arteriovenous fistula is a rare vascular anomaly often presenting with sequelae of portal hypertension, heart failure, or mesenteric ischemia. This report describes a 75-year-old woman with a history of extensive small bowel resection who presented with variceal bleeding. She was referred to vascular and interventional radiology for a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt procedure; however, her history was inconsistent with cirrhosis. This prompted further review of her imaging, which identified a superior mesenteric arteriovenous fistula as the probable etiology of her varices. This was subsequently embolized with a vascular plug and follow-up upper endoscopy at 1-month demonstrated complete resolution of her varices. This patient was able to avoid a procedure with potentially catastrophic consequences, highlighting the necessity of comprehensive consultations by interventional physicians. Level of Evidence: Level 4, Case Report.
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