title: Cutaneous manifestations of abdominal arteriovenous fistulas.
abstract: Abdominal arteriovenous (A-V) fistulas may be spontaneous or secondary to trauma. The clinical manifestations of abdominal A-V fistulas are variable, but cutaneous findings are common and may be suggestive of the diagnosis. Cutaneous physical examination findings consistent with abdominal A-V fistula include lower extremity edema with cyanosis, pulsatile varicose veins, and scrotal edema. We present a patient admitted to the hospital with lower extremity swelling, discoloration, and pain, as well as renal insufficiency. During a prior hospitalization she was diagnosed with venous stasis dermatitis; however, her physical examination findings were not consistent with that diagnosis. Imaging studies identified and characterized an abdominal aortocaval fistula. We propose that dermatologists add abdominal A-V fistula to the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with lower extremity edema with cyanosis, and we summarize other physical examination and laboratory findings that may suggest the diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Temple, and Scott & White Memorial Hospital, Temple, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scruggs
authors.forename: Daniel D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D001012:Aorta, Abdominal; D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008875:Middle Aged; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior