Postnephrectomy arteriovenous fistula causing "stroke" and congestive heart failure.

A patient presenting with an episode of unconsciousness and congestive heart failure 11 years following nephrectomy was found to have a postnephrectomy arteriovenous fistula. This is the twentieth such patient reported. Before operative correction was performed selective angiography and cardiac catheterization studies were done. The latter discovered a 3.6 1./min. shunt through the fistula. The value of listening over all scars resulting from operations is emphasized.