ACQUIRED ARTERIOVENOUS-FISTULAS IN CHILDREN

Five boys with acquired arteriovenous fistulas are presented; four had factor VIII deficiencies, and one had a hepatic-induced coagulopathy. The cause of the fistula was the trauma induced by single or repeated venous and/or arterial punctures. All five developed a slowly progres sive pulsatile mass of over a period of months. Patients with coagulop athies all developed complications with repeated inadvertent puncture of these masses. Clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging s cans clearly highlight this problem. Surgical ligation is recommended for progressive enlargement.