Transcatheter coil embolization for large pulmonary arteriovenous fistulae through an artificial tricuspid ball valve

Abstract

Pulmonary arteriovenous fistulae (PAFs) occur congenitally or are acquired. A PAF can cause hypoxemia, sudden death from rupture, abscess formation, and embolism. Treatment for PAF is transcatheter embolization or surgery. Transcatheter embolization is the first choice of treatment; however, this treatment is impossible to perform if a patient has had tricuspid or pulmonary valve replacement. In this paper, we describe a case of PAFs complicated with tricuspid valve replacement with a ball valve (which had been performed 40 years earlier) that was treated with transcatheter embolization. <Learning objective: Although the ball valve was discontinued more than 40 years ago, it is still the only mechanical valve that allows catheter passage. We report a case of successful treatment of pulmonary arteriovenous fistula by passing a catheter through a ball valve.>.

Keywords: Pulmonary arteriovenous fistula; Starr–Edwards ball valve; Transcatheter embolization; Tricuspid valve.