PERCUTANEOUS TRANSFEMORAL INSERTION OF A STENTED GRAFT TO REPAIR A TRAUMATIC FEMORAL ARTERIOVENOUS-FISTULA

This case report describes a new approach to repair a femoral arteriov enous fistula with a transluminally placed in intraarterial graft-cove red stent. A balloon-expandable stented polytetrafluoroethylene graft was inserted percutaneously to obliterate an arteriovenous fistula aft er a bullet injured the left superficial femoral artery and vein of an 18-year-old man. Follow-up duplex ultrasonography at 5 months demonst rated patency and luminal integrity of the involved artery and vein, w ith resolution of the associated pseudoaneurysm. Additional follow-up will be needed to further substantiate the utility of this minimally i nvasive procedure in the treatment of traumatic arterial injuries.