congenital pulmonary arteriovenous fistula


con·gen·i·tal pul·mo·nar·y ar·te·ri·o·ve·nous fis·tu·la

multiple, usually dilated, vessels connecting pulmonary artery and vein, most cases found in Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome (q.v.), causes an increasing physiologic right-to-left shunt (q.v.).

congenital pulmonary arteriovenous fistula

A direct communication of a pulmonary artery with a pulmonary vein within the lung. This congenital condition allows blood to bypass the oxygenation process in the lungs. See also: fistula