Successful endovascular treatment of post-traumatic subclavian arteriovenous fistula

Abstract

Subclavian arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are rare entities, mostly reported as a result of traumatic and iatrogenic injuries. In the literature, congenital subclavian AVFs are also presented. Diagnosis of traumatic AVF may present challenges given the variable clinical presentation, varying location, and difficulty to locate on imaging. If left untreated, it can lead to high-output heart failure. This underlies the importance of understanding the nature of the disease, timely diagnosis, and treatment in order to prevent increased morbidity and mortality. We report a case of a patient having a traumatic left subclavian AVF formation after clavicle and rib surgery, which was successfully treated with a covered stent.