Background: Haemodialysis arteriovenous fistulas have common local and regional complications, but are rarely associated with neurological symptoms.
Case report: A 43-year-old woman presented with short acute episodes of unilateral, non-throbbing, severe headache, vertigo and left lateropulsion. She had undergone renal transplantation and had a still-functioning left brachial arteriovenous fistula. No abnormality was detected on neurological examination or on brain parenchymal imaging. Colour Doppler ultrasonography showed a subclavian steal syndrome of the left vertebral artery and reversed flow in the left internal jugular vein. Ligation of the arteriovenous fistula had to be delayed as a result of renal graft dysfunction. Six months later she developed a headache attributed to intracranial hypertension. All symptoms subsided after ligation of the arteriovenous fistula.
Literature review: We identified 16 case reports of central neurological complications attributed to haemodialysis brachial fistulas. Headache descriptions were scarce and were not fully detailed.
Conclusions: The case of our patient suggests that unilateral, episodic, non-throbbing, non-postural headache with transient neurological symptoms can be caused by combined arterial and venous flow abnormalities secondary to a high-flow arteriovenous brachial fistula. In this setting, this pattern of headache may precede overt signs of intracranial hypertension and may be used as a warning sign of cerebral venous congestion.
Keywords: Unilateral headache; arteriovenous fistula; internal jugular vein flow inversion; intracranial hypertension; renal failure.
© International Headache Society 2016.