Iatrogenic Vertebral Arteriovenous Fistula Involving Brachiocephalic Vein Due to Central Venous Catheterization: A Case Report

Abstract

Purpose: To report a case of vertebral arteriovenous fistula (VAVF) caused by iatrogenic trauma of central venous catheterization (CVC) involving brachiocephalic vein (BCV). Case report: A 79-year-old female was referred for assessment of a vertebral artery (VA) aneurysm at the V1 segment. The patient had no signs other than a vascular murmur on the right neck and was diagnosed 20 years after undergoing CVC. Right vertebral angiography revealed a high-flow shunt from the V1 segment of the right VA and draining into the right BCV. The fistula had a single communication between a pseudoaneurysm and large varix. We diagnosed the patient with CVCinduced VAVF (CIVAVF) involving BCV and obliterated the shunt by selective transarterial and transvenous embolization of the pseudoaneurysm under flow control using a balloon catheter with no complications. Conclusion: This case highlights the point that CIVAVF involving BCV is rare but possible. In addition, there is a possibility that CIVAVF involving BCV does not demonstrate the findings of arterial steal or retrograde venous drainage and is undiagnosed for a long term due to lack of neurological manifestation and other subjective symptoms. We also showed that endovascular treatment can be feasible and useful for CIVAVF involving BCV.