Pleural effusion associated with ipsilateral breast and arm edema as a complication of subclavian vein catheterization and arteriovenous fistula formation for hemodialysis.

A 38-year-old woman with end-stage kidney disease presented with a pleural effusion and profound edema of the ipsilateral arm and breast. A patent hemodialysis arteriovenous fistula access was present in the involved extremity. Brachiocephalic vein stenosis, as a result of previous dialysis catheter placement in the subclavian vein, was demonstrated by ultrasound imaging and Doppler analysis. Takedown of the arteriovenous fistula in the edematous arm along with living-related kidney transplantation caused immediate resolution of the breast and arm edema and rapid clearing of the effusion. An anatomic explantation for the findings is offered.