Anatomical Abnormality
arteriovenous fistula
ar·te·ri·o·ve·nous fis·tu·la
Subclass of:
Congenital arteriovenous malformation; Vascular Fistula
Also called:
AV Fistula
Definitions related to arteriovenous fistula:
  • An abnormal connection between an artery and vein.
    Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO)
    The Human Phenotype Ontology Project, 2025
  • An abnormal direct communication between an artery and a vein without passing through the CAPILLARIES. An A-V fistula usually leads to the formation of a dilated sac-like connection, arteriovenous aneurysm. The locations and size of the shunts determine the degree of effects on the cardiovascular functions such as BLOOD PRESSURE and HEART RATE.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • An unintended connection between an artery and vein.
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • An arteriovenous fistula is an abnormal communication between an artery and a vein. An arteriovenous fistula may be congenital (usually affecting smaller vessels) or acquired as a result of trauma (eg, a bullet or stab wound) or erosion of an arterial aneurysm into an adjacent vein. In patients with end-stage renal disease requiring...
    Merck Manuals
    Merck & Co., Inc., 2025
  • Vascular birthmarks encompass a group of vascular disorders that for a long time included conditions of various presentation and etiology (see example shown below). In 1996, the Workshop of the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA), with a subsequent modification, in 1998 presented a new classification of this...
    Medscape
    WebMD, 2025
  • An arteriovenous (AV) fistula is an abnormal connection between an artery and a vein. Normally, blood flows from your arteries to your capillaries, and then on to your veins. Nutrients and oxygen in your blood travel from your capillaries to tissues in your body.
    Mayo Clinic
    Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2025
  • Arteriovenous fistula, abnormal direct opening between an artery and a vein; it sometimes results from accidental penetration wounds or from vascular disease, or it may be congenital in origin. As a result of the defect, the arterial blood is passed to the venous side of the fistula, and the blood...
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2025
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