Traumatic Arterio Venous Fistula Causing Cardiac Failure

Abstract

In most cases the underlying cause of Cardiac Failure is clinically apparent when it is due to ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, Hypertension, advanced pulmonary disease and pericardial disease. In high output cardiac failure the heart is faced with volume overload and is forced to pump abnormally many large quantities of blood in order to deliver the required amount of oxygen to rapidly metabolising tissues. We report a case of post-Traumatic Arterio-Ven ous fistula causing Cardiac failure which was succ essfully surgically treated. Discussion: Abnormal direct communication between arteries and veins is called Arteriovenous fistula. Acquired arteriovenous fistula is a rare but curable cause of Cardiac failure and should be considered and sought specifically in any case with high output Cardiac failure in the absence of regurgitant valvular lesions and thyrotoxicosis. The only satisfactory treatment of systemic Arteriovenous fistula causing heart failure is the excision of the fistula with restoration of the arterial continuity whenever possible. Repair of the fistula may result in the return of the heart size and function to normal as was documented in our case.