Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation presenting with severe hypoxemia.
OBJECTIVE
To report a case of right pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) affecting the right upper lobe, following the incidence of empyema thoracis in the contralateral lung.


METHODS
A 19-year-old, previously healthy male presented with acute respiratory distress, left pleuritic chest pain, fever and hypoxemia. Clinical findings, laboratory and radiological examinations including pulmonary angiogram were consistent with the diagnosis of left pneumonia complicated with parapneumonic pleural effusion and right upper lobe PAVM. The patient was intubated and ventilated because of persistent hypoxemia. He was successfully treated by percutaneous transcatheter embolization.


CONCLUSIONS
This case shows that percutaneous transcatheter embolization is a safe and effective first option for the treatment of PAVM.
Ayed
Adel K
AK
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait. adel@hsc.edu.kw
Bazerbashi
Samer
S
Uthaman
Babu
B
D000328:Adult; D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000002:abnormalities*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000002:abnormalities*; D011859:Radiography