eMedicine Specialties > Vascular Surgery > Medical Topics

Renal Arteriovenous Malformation: Follow-up

Author: Mark R Wakefield, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery/Urology, Division of Urology, University of Missouri School of Medicine; Director, Renal Transplantation, University Missouri Health Care
Coauthor(s): Julie M Riley, MD, Resident Physician, Department of Urology, University of Missouri Columbia
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Mar 10, 2009

Outcome and Prognosis

Nephrectomy remains the criterion standard for treating renal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Hematuria due to an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) resolves following nephrectomy, while hypertension is cured or improved in 60-85% of patients.

Further, with advances in available techniques, angiographic embolization treatment is the usual first line of therapy because it can be accomplished at the time of diagnosis, with little morbidity.

Most acquired renal fistulas resolve spontaneously.

Future and Controversies

Renal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) remain an uncommon clinical problem. However, the incidence may increase as the frequency of incidental renal masses increases. Small renal masses on abdominal imaging studies performed for other symptoms are becoming more common.

Categorizing these masses as benign or malignant in an economic and safe manner has received much attention. Asymptomatic renal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are a rare cause of the incidental mass, but several case reports describe clinical situations in which a renal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) was classified incorrectly as a malignant tumor or as hydronephrosis. Specific CT scan protocols seem especially promising as a minimally invasive way to improve the classification of renal masses. Further, improvements in MRI, MRA, and Doppler ultrasound may decrease the need for the use iodinated contrast agents.

 


More on Renal Arteriovenous Malformation

Overview: Renal Arteriovenous Malformation
Workup: Renal Arteriovenous Malformation
Treatment: Renal Arteriovenous Malformation
Follow-up: Renal Arteriovenous Malformation
Multimedia: Renal Arteriovenous Malformation
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

renal arteriovenous malformation, AVM, intrarenal arteriovenous malformation, intrarenal AVM, renal AV malformation, intrarenal AV malformation, renal arteriovenous fistula, renal AVM, renal AV fistula, cirsoid arteriovenous malformation, cirsoid AVM, congenital renal arteriovenous malformation, congenital AVM, cavernosal renal arteriovenous malformation, cavernosal renal AVM, renal artery aneurysm, RAA, renal arteriovenous aneurysm, renal AV aneurysm, gross hematuria, angiographic embolization, nephrectomy, percutaneous renal surgery, percutaneous renal biopsy, renal cell carcinoma, RCC, angiogenic tumor factors, kidney tumor, renal tumor

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Mark R Wakefield, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery/Urology, Division of Urology, University of Missouri School of Medicine; Director, Renal Transplantation, University Missouri Health Care
Mark R Wakefield, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons, American Society of Transplant Surgeons, American Society of Transplantation, American Urological Association, Missouri State Medical Association, and Society of University Urologists
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Julie M Riley, MD, Resident Physician, Department of Urology, University of Missouri Columbia
Julie M Riley, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, and American Urological Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Richard A Santucci, MD, FACS, Chief of Urology, Detroit Receiving Hospital; Specialist-in-Chief of Urology, Detroit Medical Center; Chief of Urologic Trauma Surgery, Sinai Grace Hospital; Director, The Center for Urologic Reconstruction; Clinical Professor of Urology, Michigan State College of Medicine
Richard A Santucci, MD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons, American Urological Association, and Société Internationale d'Urologie (International Society of Urology)
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Travis J Phifer, MD, Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, Professor, Department of Surgery and Radiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport
Travis J Phifer, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, Association for Academic Surgery, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, Society for Vascular Surgery, and Society of Critical Care Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

J Stuart Wolf Jr, MD, FACS, David A Bloom Professor of Urology, Director of Division of Minimally Invasive Urology, Department of Urology, University of Michigan
J Stuart Wolf Jr, MD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons, American Urological Association, Catholic Medical Association, Endourological Society, Society for Urology and Engineering, Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, Society of University Urologists, and Society of Urologic Oncology
Disclosure: Terumo Corporation Consulting fee Consulting; Omeros Corporation Consulting fee Consulting

Chief Editor

William H Pearce, MD, Chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, Violet and Charles Baldwin Professor of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Northwestern University School of Medicine
William H Pearce, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons, American Heart Association, American Surgical Association, Association for Academic Surgery, Association of VA Surgeons, Central Surgical Association, New York Academy of Sciences, Society for Vascular Surgery, Society of Critical Care Medicine, Society of University Surgeons, and Western Surgical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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