Superficial temporal arteriovenous fistula as a complication of rhytidectomy

A 67-year-old woman who had undergone rhytidectomy 5 years before her presentation experienced increasing pulsatile tinnitus on the left side that had begun 2 years earlier. Angiography revealed a direct arteriovenous fistula between the superficial temporal artery and superficial temporal vein in f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Journal of craniofacial surgery Vol. 23; no. 2; p. 603
Main Authors Kominami, Shushi, Watanabe, Akira, Akimoto, Masahiro, Kobayashi, Shiro, Teramoto, Akira
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.03.2012
Subjects
Aged
Arteriovenous Fistula - etiology
Arteriovenous Fistula - therapy
Cyanoacrylates - administration & dosage
Embolization, Therapeutic - methods
Ethiodized Oil - administration & dosage
Female
Humans
Postoperative Complications - etiology
Postoperative Complications - therapy
Rhytidoplasty
Temporal Arteries
Tinnitus - etiology
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Summary:A 67-year-old woman who had undergone rhytidectomy 5 years before her presentation experienced increasing pulsatile tinnitus on the left side that had begun 2 years earlier. Angiography revealed a direct arteriovenous fistula between the superficial temporal artery and superficial temporal vein in front of her left ear. There was a scar from the earlier cosmetic surgery at the site. The fistula was embolized with N-butyl cyanoacrylate, and her tinnitus disappeared. We posit that the fistula was a complication of rhytidectomy and that a small arteriovenous fistula formed at the time of surgery and enlarged over time. This case indicates that arteriovenous fistulae can occur as a delayed complication of cosmetic surgery.
ISSN:1536-3732
DOI:10.1097/SCS.0b013e31824cd803