En bloc Surgical Excision of an Arteriovenous Malformation in the Foot: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

INTRODUCTION: Arteriovenous malformations (AVM) are developmental vascular malformations consisting of abnormal arteriovenous shunts surrounding a central nidus. These lesions are relatively uncommon, comprising just 7% of all benign soft-tissue masses. Most AVMs occur in the brain, neck, pelvis, and lower extremity and rarely manifest in the foot. When they do form in the foot, non-specific pain and the absence of clinical features contribute to the high rate of misdiagnosis on initial presentation. Although surgical excision combined with embolotherapy has emerged as the preferred treatment for large AVM, controversy exists over the best treatment for small lesions in the foot. CASE PRESENTATION: A 36-year-old Afro-Caribbean man was referred to the clinic with a 2-year history of increasing pain in his forefoot, affecting his ability to stand or walk comfortably. There was no history of trauma, and despite changing his footwear, the patient continued to have significant pain. Clinical examination was unremarkable except for mild tenderness over the dorsum of his forefoot, and radiographs were normal. A magnetic resonance scan reported an intermetatarsal vascular mass but could not exclude malignancy. Surgical exploration and en bloc excision confirmed the mass to be an AVM. One year post-surgery, the patient remains pain-free with no evidence of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The rarity of AVM in the foot, combined with normal radiographs and non-specific clinical signs, contributes to the long delay in diagnosing and treating these lesions. Surgeons should have a low threshold for obtaining magnetic resonance imaging in cases of diagnostic uncertainty. En bloc surgical excision is an option for treating small suitably located lesions in the foot.