Steal syndrome following an arteriovenous fistula – case report and treatment option

The paper presents the case of a 48 year-old diabetic patient that underwent hemodialysis for a long period of time and presented to our hospital with digital hypoperfusion symptoms following an arteriovenous fistula between the humeral artery and the basilic vein. The anamnesis of the patient reveals prior circulatory problems and in the case of a previous fistula the patient required the amputation of the distal phalanx of the left index finger. The arterial theft syndrome was dealt with in this case by using a simple method based on techniques of flow diminution through the vein, assessing the calibration by means of clinical criteria such as capillary flow, presence of thrill and decrease in pain levels. A 1 year follow-up showed the fistula was still viable and the symptoms diminished to a level that no longer interfered with the lifestyle of the patient.