Arteriovenous fistula leading to secondary angiomatosis in a 13 year old domestic shorthair

Abstract

A 13-year-old, male castrated, domestic shorthair cat presented to the Cornell University Hospital for Animals Soft Tissue Surgery service with a severely edematous right hind limb. Clinical signs and biopsy results of the dorsal paw were suggestive of cutaneous angiomatosis. Further CT Angiography of the affected limb identified a vascular abnormality that was surgically excised and biopsied as a peripheral arteriovenous fistula. Fistulectomy resulted in complete clinical resolution of the cutaneous angiomatosis, suggestive of a causal relationship between the two lesions. To the knowledge of this author, this has never been reported before in the veterinary literature. A similar syndrome is documented in human hemodialysis patients, who develop diffuse dermal angiomatosis secondary to iatrogenic Arteriovenous Fistulas used in their therapy. Excision results in complete resolution of their Angiomatosis. This case suggests a previously undocumented causal relationship, and gives evidence for further angiography, before traditional options like amputation are elected.