Congenital Hepatic Arteriovenous Malformation

Abstract

Hepatic arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare developmental vascular disorder characterized by direct arterial connection to a fistulous venous drainage system within the liver. The condition results in a high-flow, low-resistance shunt that can cause high-output cardiac failure and hydrops. Prenatal diagnosis is possible when sonography detects multiple engorged vascular channels in the fetal liver. Current treatment options include postnatal obliteration of the arterial feeder vessels by surgical ligation or percutaneous transcatheter embolization with detachable coils. The authors present a case of a prenatally diagnosed hepatic AVM complicated by fetal distress, high-output cardiac failure, and consumptive coagulopathy that had recanalization of feeder vessels noted two weeks after initial successful coil placement.