title: Posttraumatic arteriovenous malformation of the face: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Head and neck arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are reported to occur in 0.1% of the population. Extracranial AVMs account for only 8.1% of head and neck AVMs. Of these, traumatically acquired AVMs of the face are generally reported as quite rare. When secondary to trauma, the lesion is usually supplied by a single vessel, as compared to the multiple vessels often seen with congenital etiology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Understanding of regional anatomy is paramount when assessing and managing facial injuries. As an integral health care provider for the facial trauma patient, it is the responsibility of the emergency physician to recognize this rare pathologic lesion necessary to coordinate surgical management of the traumatic AVM.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a case report of a patient who sustained a facial laceration complicated by the development of a vascular malformation. The facial laceration in this case report highlights the complexity of wound evaluation and management when treating patients in the emergency department.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Traumatic AVMs are quite rare in the head and neck and are mostly seen in the extremities. Although rare, they have been reported after typical facial trauma as well as elective surgical procedures. The management of such lesions may include selective embolization or surgical exploration with ligation. Emergency physicians and facial trauma surgeons are challenged with recognizing and treating these rare but very real vascular lesions. It is our hope that this case report provides an overview of posttraumatic AVMs in the head and neck.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Solon T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Patrick W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Henry W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005145:Face / Q000098:blood supply*; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D022125:Lacerations / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: facial emergency; facial laceration; vascular malformation; vascular pathology; vascular trauma