Blood Loss through AV Fistula : A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract EN

Little has been written about acute blood loss from hemodialysis vascular access.

We describe a 57-year-old Caucasian male with an approximately 7 gm/dL drop in hemoglobin due to bleeding from a ruptured aneurysm in his right brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistula (AVF).

There was no evidence of fistula infection.

The patient was successfully managed by blood transfusions and insertion of a tunneled dialysis catheter for dialysis access.

Later, the fistula was ligated and a new fistula was constructed in the opposite arm.

Aneurysm should be considered in cases of acute vascular access bleeding in chronic dialysis patients.