Congestive heart failure associated with chronic venous insufficiency and leg ulcers secondary to an arteriovenous fistula caused by a shotgun wound 15 years ago.

We present a 65-year-old man who had a significant arteriovenous fistula between the right arteria profunda femoralis and vena profunda femoralis. He had evidence of chronic venous insufficiency and chronic leg ulcers on his right leg, and he had clinical findings of congestive heart failure. An arteriovenous fistula was responsible for all of clinical situation that had been caused by a shotgun wound 15 years ago. Using ultrasonography, after palpating a marked thrill and mass during physical examination, established the diagnosis of arteriovenous fistula. Angiography was performed both to delineate the suspected vascular anatomy and to show the coronary arteries. The patient was operated on and no complication was experienced during or after the procedure. Dramatic improvement was seen in the clinical picture just after surgery, and heart size markedly reduced both on chest X-ray and echocardiographic examination.