Management of traumatic arterio-venous fistulas, experience in Armed Forces General Hospital, Addis Ababa.

In Armed Forces General Hospital from March to December 1999, 53 patients were operated for Arterio-venous fistula. All were males, their age ranging from 19 to 46 years, average 27 years. The diagnosis of arterio-venous fistulas was established clinically. The pathological distribution of the lesions were: 23(43.4%) Arterio-Venous aneurysm; 11(20.75%) Arterio-Venous fistula, 19(35.85%) Arterial false aneurysms. The anatomical location was: 15 femoral, 10 Tibial, 6 poplitial, 6 brachial, 4 Axilláry, 1 ulnar, 7 external carotid and 1 occipital. The types of surgical procedures performed were: 29 (54.72%) excision of the arterio-venous fistula and aneurismal sac with arterial restoration by end to end anastomosis and/or saphenous vein graft, 16(30.19%) by excision of arteriovenous fistula and quadriple ligation of small vessels, 8(15.09%) excision of the false aneurismal sac and lateral repair of the artery (lateral arterioraphy). During the post operative period the patients were followed for three months, and we had the following results based on the clinical outcome criteria; 37(69.81%) excellent, 15(28.3%) good and 1(1.89%) fair.