Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation presenting with severe hypoxemia.

OBJECTIVE

To report a case of right pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) affecting the right upper lobe, following the incidence of empyema thoracis in the contralateral lung.

METHODS

A 19-year-old, previously healthy male presented with acute respiratory distress, left pleuritic chest pain, fever and hypoxemia. Clinical findings, laboratory and radiological examinations including pulmonary angiogram were consistent with the diagnosis of left pneumonia complicated with parapneumonic pleural effusion and right upper lobe PAVM. The patient was intubated and ventilated because of persistent hypoxemia. He was successfully treated by percutaneous transcatheter embolization.

CONCLUSIONS

This case shows that percutaneous transcatheter embolization is a safe and effective first option for the treatment of PAVM.