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RACS ASC 2024

Digital arteriovenous malformation: case report and review of the literature

Poster

Presentation Description

Institution: Royal Darwin Hospital - Northern Territory, Australia

Introduction: Acquired arteriovenous malformations are an uncommon cause of masses in the fingers. Case: We present the case of a 35-year-old female who presented with a 5-year history of a slow growing, painless mass on the volar size of her left little finger overlying the middle phalanx, measuring 2x1cm. The mass developed shortly after she caught her finger in a door and increased in size noticeably during pregnancy. At operation, a dark purple multinodular lump was identified, which was separated from the dermis, digital nerve and artery, and flexor tendon sheath by clear planes of tissue. The mass appeared to be being fed by a volar sided superficial vein. Histopathology confirmed a thrombosed AVM. Discussion: Digital AVMs are uncommon entities however the true prevalence is unknown. More often these are congenital however may be acquired following trauma to the digit and are known to increase in size during pregnancy due to haemodynamic and hormonal changes. Symptomatic AVMs can be treated by surgical excision, embolisation or sclerotherapy. There are high rates of incomplete excision and recurrence. Larger lesions or those with cutaneous involvement may require the use of either skin grafting or local flaps for reconstruction following excision. Very large lesions involving most or the entirety of the finger or extending onto the hand may require amputation. Reference: Kadono T, Kishi A, Onishi Y & Ohara K, 2000. ‘Acquired digital arteriovenous malformation: a report of six cases’. British Journal of Dermatology 142(2): 362–365. Utami AM et al., 2023. Microvascular proliferation in arteriovenous malformation of the hand worsens during pregnancy: a case report. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 85(4):1262-1269.

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Authors

Authors

Dr. Thomas Whitton - , Dr. Anna Loch-Wilkinson -