Postnephrectomy arteriovenous fistula: a case report.

We report a 57-yr-old woman with severe cardiac failure secondary to postnephrectomy arteriovenous fistula which was successfully removed. A review of the literature shows the rarity of this complication; only 72 cases have been reported in the world literature including 6 cases (including the present case) from Japan. Surgical intervention is generally the treatment of choice from a fistula and provides satisfactory results for cardiac failure which is the major complication of this fistula. A characteristic bruit was observed in all reported cases. Therefore, nonsurgical closure by percutaneous embolization for a small sized shunt may be possible if early diagnosis is obtained by careful auscultation of the loin.