EJCTS Click here to locate an Ethicon representative
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Personal Folders
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Author home page(s):
Rasheed A. Saad
Right arrow Permission Requests
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Saad, R. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Saad, R. A.
Related Collections
Right arrow Great vessels

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2002;22:162
© 2002 Elsevier Science NL

Letter to the Editor

Re: Fistula of the internal thoracic vessels: report of two cases

Rasheed A. Saad*

Cardiopulmonary Transplant Unit, Freeman Hospital, High Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7DN, UK

Received 11 February 2002; accepted 27 March 2002.

* Tel.: +44-191-2843111; fax: +44-191-2231177
e-mail: rasheed5{at}hotmail.com

I read with interest the case report by Hassan et al. [1] describing two cases of iatrogenic internal mammary arteriovenous fistula.

Arteriovenous fistula of the internal mammary artery (IMA) is still an extremely rare complication following cardiac and thoracic procedures. The incidence of internal mammary arteriovenous fistula is likely to increase as a result of the globally increasing number of cardiac and thoracic surgical procedures.

Early treatment of internal mammary arteriovenous fistula has been recommended to avoid all potential complications. However, because spontaneous closure of a small fistula may occur [2], an initial period of close observation of the patient may be justified.

I note in case 1 that you have had recurrence of the internal mammary arteriovenous fistula after percutaneous endovascular embolization. Did you embolize both antegrade and retrograde pedicles of the fistula? Silva et al. [3] recommended embolization of the antegrade as well as the retrograde pedicles to prevent recurrence secondary to retrograde flow from the superior epigastric artery.

References

  1. Hassan A., Campbell D.R., Bethune D.C., Ali I.S. Fistula of the internal thoracic vessels: report of two cases. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2002;21:358-360.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  2. Monrad P., Masson D., Charbonnier B., Lavigne G., Brehier J. Fistules arterioveineuses iatrogenes a partir de l'artere mammaire interne. Fermeture spontanee. Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 1981;74(1):105-110.[Medline]
  3. Silva J., Gonzalez-Santos J., Perez M., Ruiz M., Vallejo J.L. Iatrogenic mammary arteriovenous fistula caused by sternal wire. Ann Thorac Surg 1998;66:1398-1399.[Abstract/Free Full Text]




This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Personal Folders
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Author home page(s):
Rasheed A. Saad
Right arrow Permission Requests
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Saad, R. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Saad, R. A.
Related Collections
Right arrow Great vessels

HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
ANN THORAC SURG ASIAN CARDIOVASC THORAC ANN EUR J CARDIOTHORAC SURG
J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG ICVTS ALL CTSNet JOURNALS