Learn About Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistula
Pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is an abnormal connection between an artery and vein in the lungs. As a result, blood passes through the lungs without receiving enough oxygen.
Arteriovenous malformation - pulmonary
Pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas are usually the result of abnormal development of the blood vessels of the lung. Most occur in people with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). These people often have abnormal blood vessels in many other parts of the body.
Fistulas also can be a complication of liver disease or lung injury, although these causes are much less common.
Many people have no symptoms. When symptoms occur, they can include:
- Bloody sputum
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty exercising
- Nosebleeds
- Shortness of breath with exertion
- Chest pain
- Blue skin (cyanosis)
- Clubbing of the fingers
A small number of people who have no symptoms may not need treatment. For most people with fistulas, the treatment of choice is to block the fistula during an arteriogram (embolization).
Some people may need surgery to remove the abnormal vessels and nearby lung tissue.
When arteriovenous fistulas are caused by liver disease, the treatment is a liver transplant.
Egil And Pauline Braathen Center/Maroone Cancer Center
Mubashir Pervez is a Neuroradiologist in Weston, Florida. Dr. Pervez is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistula. His top areas of expertise are Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistula, Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformation (PAVM), Stroke, Thrombectomy, and Stent Placement.
Claire Shovlin practices in London, United Kingdom. Ms. Shovlin is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistula. Her top areas of expertise are Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformation (PAVM), Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia, Telangiectasia, and Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistula.
University Professional Services
Mark Chesnutt is a Pulmonary Medicine specialist and an Intensive Care Medicine provider in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Chesnutt is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistula. His top areas of expertise are Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistula and Arteriovenous Malformation. Dr. Chesnutt is currently accepting new patients.
The outlook for people with HHT is not as good as for those without HHT. For people without HHT, surgery to remove the abnormal vessels usually has a good outcome, and the condition is not likely to return.
For people with liver disease as a cause, the prognosis depends on the liver disease.
Complications may include:
- Bleeding in the lung
- Stroke due to blood clot that travels from the lungs to the arms, legs, or brain (paradoxical venous embolism)
- Infection in the brain or heart valve, especially in people with HHT
Contact your provider if you often have nosebleeds or difficulty breathing, especially if you also have a personal or family history of HHT.
Because HHT is often genetic, prevention is not usually possible. Genetic counseling may help in some cases.
Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if complement factor I (CFI) works to predict development of complications in participants with leptospirosis. It will also learn if plasma transfusion, hemoperfusion, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation works to treat participants with leptospirosis. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does a low level of CFI predict the development of lung ...
Summary: The goal of this multicentric clinical trial is to compare the incidence of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), assessed through AngioCT, in the endovascular treatment of acute thrombosis in native and prosthetic arteriovenous fistulas (AVF). The main questions it aims to answer are: * What is the difference in the incidence of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) assessed by AngioCT in endovascular treat...
Published Date: August 19, 2024
Published By: Allen J. Blaivas, DO, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Clinical Assistant Professor, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, East Orange, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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