J Korean Soc Radiol.  2021 May;82(3):682-687. 10.3348/jksr.2020.0102.

Endovascular Treatment of a Systemic-to-Pulmonary Artery Fistula: A Case Report

• Lee E
• Shim DJ
• Kim D
• Lee JW

• KMID: 2516119
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2020.0102

Abstract

Systemic-to-pulmonary artery fistulas are rare. This condition may be congenital, post-traumatic, or post-inflammatory and can cause infection, hemorrhage, or pulmonary hypertension. Here, we report a case of an intercostal-to-pulmonary artery fistula, incidentally detected during the evaluation of dyspnea in a 67-year-old female. Retrograde transcatheter coil embolization in a dilated draining pulmonary artery was initially attempted. However, another draining pulmonary artery developed after 5 months. The intercostal arteries or systemic feeders were successfully embolized through a transarterial access. At the 10-month follow-up, the abnormally dilated vessels had regressed, and dyspnea had improved. Sequential or simultaneous retro- and antegrade transcatheter embolization may successfully treat pleural arterio-arterial fistulas.

Keyword

Vascular Fistula; Therapeutic Embolization; Arterio-Arterial Fistula