Neil C. Andrews

Pulmonary arteriovenous fistula

Abstract 1. 1. Five patients with pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas have been presented and discussed. 2. 2. Routine roentgenograms of the chest have permitted early recognition and treatment of asymptomatic pulmonary arteriovenous fistula. 3. 3. One patient with malignant pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas is presented to illustrate the rare progressive form of this disease producing death. 4. 4. The presence of cutaneous or mucosal telangiectasias should alert the physician to the possibility of Rendu-Osler-Weber disease and the presence of hereditary pulmonary anteriovenous fistula. 5. 5. Bilateral simultaneous angiocardiogram should be carried out preoperatively to determine the nature and extent of the arteriovenous fistula. 6. 6. Pulmonary resection should be conservative enough to preserve as much functioning lung tissue as possible and radical enough to eradicate the disease.