Overview
An AV fistula, also known as an arterial fistula, is a condition in which arteries and veins are abnormally connected to each other. Normally, blood flows from your artery to your capillaries and then to your veins. With an arterial fistula, blood flows directly from the artery into a vein across some capillaries. When this happens, the tissue below the bypass capillaries receives less blood. This condition usually occurs in the legs. But it can develop in any part of the body. It is sometimes created surgically for the treatment of other conditions.