[Dural arteriovenous fistula, a rare cause of congestive heart failure in elderly patients].

Introduction: Arteriovenous fistula is a curable cause of high output congestive heart failure.

Case: An 89-year-old woman was hospitalized for acute heart failure. The presence of a continuous murmur in the right carotid artery suggested an arteriovenous fistula. Arteriography showed a dural fistula of the right lateral sinus and confirmed the diagnostic hypothesis. Embolization was ruled out because of the patient's clinical condition, but medical treatment produced a satisfactory outcome.

Discussion: Clinical diagnosis of an arteriovenous fistula is based on the characteristic murmur. We report the first case of a dural arteriovenous fistula manifested by congestive heart failure in an elderly patient.