Arteriovenous fistulas of the mesenteric vessels. Report of a case and review of the literature.

Arteriovenous fistulae of the mesenteric circulation are rare, only 30 cases having been reported in the English literature. These lesions may follow operations on the abdominal viscera or abdominal injuries, either blunt or penetrating. We report a case of an iatrogenic mesenteric arteriovenous fistula diagnosed 20 years after a small bowel resection for an ileocecal intussusception. A review of the English literature is presented and the diagnosis, treatment, and pathophysiology of mesenteric arteriovenous fistulas is discussed, with special emphasis on the possible sequelae of a hyperkinetic portal blood flow.