[Spontaneous right primary iliac arteriovenous fistula and an unrecognized aorto-caval fistula located above an aneurysm].

A patient admitted for treatment of an aorto-iliac aneurism presented himself with swelling of the lower extremities and a low grade bruit over the abdomen continuous throughout systole and diastole. Aortography demonstrated the presence of a suspected ilio-caval fistula. Surgical treatment consisted of closure of the fistula and vascular replacement with an appropriate aorto-bifemoral prosthesis. Large statistics report an incidence of aortocaval fistula up to 4% in association with rupturing aortic aneurisms. The grave clinical signs and aortography confirm the diagnosis. Some of those may obstruct themselves spontaneously only to reopen at the time of operation as in the case reported. The greatest peroperatory problems with closure of those fistulae are pulmonary emboli by air and aneurismal contents. In our first case a temporary caval clip was placed as a part in the management of the lesion.