# Pulmonary Hypertension and Acute Heart Failure Following Lumbar Disc Surgery

## TL;DR

A 70-year-old woman developed heart failure and pulmonary hypertension due to an arteriovenous fistula caused by a previous lumbar disc surgery.

## Contribution

This case highlights a rare complication of lumbar disc surgery leading to postcapillary pulmonary hypertension and acute heart failure.

## Key findings

- Echocardiogram showed signs of pulmonary hypertension and elevated cardiac output.
- CT imaging identified an arteriovenous fistula between the common iliac artery and vein.
- The fistula was traced back to a prior lumbar disc surgery.

## Abstract

A 70-year-old woman was admitted with heart failure and signs of pulmonary hypertension on echocardiogram. Cardiac catheterization demonstrated postcapillary pulmonary hypertension, elevated cardiac output, and O2 saturation enrichment. Computed tomography revealed a large arteriovenous fistula between the common iliac artery and vein, which was due to a lumbar disc surgery performed several years prior.