Renal arteriovenous fistula, up-date and presentation of a new case

Renal arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) conform a pathology the urologist is not used to see. The basic purpose of this paper is to collect and update the current knowledge of this renal-vascular disorder, quite frequently forgotten when establishing the likely causes of haematuria. The paper describes the etiology of renal AVF and their generation mechanisms, as well as clinical presentations they can have. A most appropriate diagnostic method is still selective renal arteriography, which usually evidences the anomaly through indirect arteriographic signs. However, when the lesion is small it can be difficult to detect it. Finally, a discussion of therapeutical possibilities, both conservative and radical, and a case recently treated in out unit are presented.