TRAUMATİC ARTERİOVENOUS FİSTULAS

In our department, we have operated 33 cases with traumatic arteriovenous fistulas between 1976-2000. Thirty of them were male (%91) and 3 (%9) were female. The average age was 28 (10-60). Ethyologically, 24 (%73), 8 (%24), 1 (%3) of the injuries were the resul! of gunshut wounds, penetrating injuries wounds and blunt injuries, respectively. The arteriovenous fistula localizations in that order of frequency were femoral artery in 10 (%31) cases, popliteal ar­ tery in 6 (%18) cases, a.carotis communis in 6 (%18) cases, tibial arteries in 4 (%12) cases. Mest of the AVF (%88) were diagnosed within 1 year from the injury. The most common presenting symptom was a murmur (%100) followed by a thrill (%91) and a pulsating mass (%52). Arteriel injury was usually treated by end-to-end anastomoses and ve­ nous autograft interposition. Venous injury was usually treated by lateral sutur and venous autograft interposition.