SPLENIC ARTERIOVENOUS-FISTULA - A REPORT OF 2 CASES AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Two cases of splenic arteriovenous fistula (SAVF) are reported and the literature pertaining to this disease is discussed. SAVF is a rare but curable cause of portal hypertension. Untill recently, diagnosis was based and angiographic findings. However, it can now be reached with duplex-Doppler sonography, CT or MRI. Duplex-Doppler sonography highlights an enlarged splenic vein with a turbulent flow. CT scan detects the arterial aneurysms and shows the early opacification of the enlarged splenic vein. MRI depicts all the morphological abnormalities and flow-void due to time-of-flight losses may indicate the location of the fistula. Intra-arterial obliteration of the fistula is a good alternative to surgical procedure for treating SAVF in avoiding the potentially serious threat of gastro-intestinal hemorrhage.