Verified By Apollo Neurologist March 9, 2021
7554An AV fistula, also known as arteriovenous fistula, is a condition in which an artery and vein have an abnormal connection with each other. Normally, blood flows from your arteries to your capillaries, and then on to your veins. With an arteriovenous fistula, blood flows directly from an artery into a vein, bypassing some capillaries. When this happens, tissues below the bypassed capillaries receive less blood. This condition usually occurs in the legs, but it can develop in any part of the body. Sometimes, it is surgically created for the treatment of other conditions.
What is AV fistula?
An AV fistula is an unusual connection established, either naturally or artificially, linking an artery and a vein. Usually, blood flows from your arteries to your capillaries, and then into your veins. An AV fistula causes a direct flow of blood from an artery into a vein. As a result, less blood is sent to the tissues below the bypassed capillaries.
What Are The Symptoms Of AV fistula?
Small AV fistulas in your limbs, brain, lungs, or kidneys don’t usually show signs and rarely require any treatment. However, large fistulas cause visible signs and symptoms. They include:
A large AV fistula located in your lungs, also called a pulmonary arteriovenous fistula, is a critical condition. The symptoms of this condition are:
An arteriovenous fistula in your gastrointestinal tract may cause bleeding in the digestive tract.
When To Consult A Doctor?
If you have any slightest suspicion of having an AV fistula, especially after noticing symptoms specific to this condition, visit a doctor immediately. Early diagnosis and treatment can help in recovery without any serious complications.
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What are the causes of AV fistula?
An AV fistula may be caused by:
When Is An AV fistula Done Artificially?
Sometimes, an AV fistula is introduced into your body surgically to treat kidney failure in a procedure called hemodialysis.
Hemodialysis is a procedure that uses a machine to send your blood through a dialyzer outside the body. A surgically created fistula may be used to remove and return your blood during the procedure. Inside the dialyzer, wastes and extra fluid in the blood are removed through thin fibers that filter them out. The filtered blood is brought back to the body through another tube. An AV fistula allows large amounts of blood to flow continuously to filter as much blood as possible at a go. An AV fistula should be created before the first treatment.
An AV fistula is usually placed in the forearm or upper arm. This provides reliable access to the blood vessels. Without this access, hemodialysis would be impossible. When the session starts, two needles are inserted into the fistula. One carries blood from the body to the dialyzer while the other carries the filtered blood back to the body.
An AV fistula is suggested over the other types of access because it:
If you don’t have a vein of sufficient size for an AV fistula, an artificial vein may be fitted via AV bypass graft surgery. If dialysis is required immediate, a dialysis catheter can be inserted in a vein until a longer-term solution is created
How Is An AV fistula Diagnosed?
Initially, a doctor will listen to your blood flow using a stethoscope at the site of suspicion. An AV fistula produces a humming sound. To confirm the condition, the following tests are done:
How is an AV fistula treated ?
Sometimes, small fistulas close by themselves without any treatment. However, fistulas that have existed for a long time and are causing problems, must be attended to immediately .
Conclusion
Untreated AV fistulas may result in serious issues. Seek immediate medical help and cure yourself of this condition as early as possible. If you have a surgically placed AV fistula, your doctor will monitor it regularly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
There are three types of AV fistula for dialysis:
If this condition is left untreated, several complications may arise. Some of these complications are:
Some of the risk factors of AV fistulas are:
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