The lacrimal system is comprised of the lacrimal glands for tear production and the lacrimal drainage system for draining tears away from the eyes. Congenital lacrimal system anomalies other than nasolacrimal duct obstruction are uncommon. Congenital lacrimal fistulae are a rare developmental anomaly, and when they occur, they are usually unilateral. Fistulae and diverticulae can originate from...

BACKGROUND The National Kidney Foundation has established detailed guidelines due to increasing morbidity and costs related to haemodialysis vascular access in the end-stage renal disease population. METHODS A quality assurance multidisciplinary committee was formed to implement the Dialysis Outcome Quality Initiative (DOQI) guidelines in September, 1999. Beginning January 2000, a 'Save the V...

BACKGROUND Arteriovenous (AV) fistulae is an extremely rare disease of vascular malformation that involves fistulae formation between the systemic and pulmonary AV systems. CASE REPRESENTATION This case report describes a rare systemic-pulmonary AV fistulae of congenital origin, accompanied by pulmonary hypertension, as determined by aortic angiography and echocardiography. CONCLUSION Chara...

A gastrointestinal fistula is a common occurrence, especially after surgery. Patients who develop a fistula may have an infection, surgically altered anatomy, nutritional deficiency, or organ failure, making surgical revision more difficult. With advancements in flexible endoscopic devices and technology, new endoscopic options are available for the management of gastrointestinal fistulae. Endo...

−− Long-term vascular accesses are usually performed in patients submitted to renal replacement therapy using autologous vessels. When arterio-venous fistula creation is impossible, animal conduits have been used in order to obtain high patency rates. Bovine vessel heterograft has been introduced as a substitute for the construction of arterio-venous fistulas. However, when experimental researc...

BACKGROUND Fistula is considered to be any abnormal passage which connects two epithelial surfaces. Parks' fistulae classification demonstrates the biggest practical significance and divides fistulae into: intersphincteric, transsphincteric, suprasphincteric and extrasphincteric. Etiology of perianal fistulae is most commonly linked with the inflammation of anal glands in Crohn's disease, tuber...

BACKGROUND Ureteric injury is usually iatrogenic in origin, in particular as a result of laparoscopic or gynaecological surgery. Of those possible complications of ureteric injury, uretero-uterine fistulae are a rarity. The most common presentation of uretero-uterine fistulae is in women who have had a caesarean section. CASE We present the case of a 35 year old woman who presented with conti...

PURPOSE Although arteriovenous fistulae (AVFs) are currently the preferred mode of permanent hemodialysis access they do have significant problems due to initial non-maturation and a later venous stenosis. These problems appear to have been exacerbated following a push to increase AVF prevalence in the US. The reasons for both AVF non-maturation and the later venous stenoses are unclear but are...

BACKGROUND Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulae comprise the majority of spinal vascular malformations. The most common clinical presentation is that of progressive myeloradiculopathy, probably related to venous hypertension, which may lead to permanent disability and even death. OBJECTIVE To report our clinical experience with spinal dural arteriovenous fistulae. METHODS Nine patients with ...

In a series of 54 caroticocavernous fistulae and eight vertebrovertebral fistulae, clinical cures were obtained in 46 of the caroticocavernous fistulae and in all of the vertebrovertebral fistulae using the Debrun coaxial catheter detachable balloon technique. Most low vertebrovertebral and about half of the posteriorly opening caroticocavernous fistulae were successfully treated by the safe tr...