Transvenous approach to salvage incomplete arterial embolization of compound traumatic arteriovenous fistulae.

Two patients with compound arteriovenous fistulae, in whom transarterial embolizations failed, were managed by embolization of the arterial tributaries of their fistulae from retrograde, transvenous access. Transvenous embolizations were successful in both patients. Given multiple arterial tributaries, and large communicating hematomas into which these arteries bleed, transvenous access may be a useful approach for embolizing compound traumatic arteriovenous fistulae.