We report a case of arteriovenous malformation of the forearm that was treated with reconstruction of the radial artery by vein grafting.
A 71-year-old man had an elastic soft mass of 2 cm in diameter under the middle radial side of the forearm, which had no tenderness or radiating pain, but arterial pulsation was palpable. No color changes, superficial blood vessel distension, or impaired peripheral blood flow was observed. CT angiography confirmed an abnormal vascular mass that continued from the branch of the radial artery and returned to the comitant vein. A diagnosis of arteriovenous malformation was made and resection was performed. The nidus that spread to the deep layer of the brachioradialis was resected together with a part of the radial arteries and veins. The radial artery was reconstructed with a cephalic vein graft.
Surgical treatment of arteriovenous malformations requires complete resection of abnormal vessels, and insufficient resection can lead to recurrence and further spread of the lesion. As we performed treatment at a relatively early stage, we were able to remove the nidus without sacrificing surrounding tissue. In addition, the radial artery, one of the main arteries of the forearm, was reconstructed by vein grafting and the physiological hemodynamics were maintained.
