Surgical approach to recurrent secondary aortoenteric fistulas: A case report

The increasing number of abdominal aortic grafts due to abdominal aortic aneurysms has caused secondary aortoenteric fistulas to be seen more frequently as a cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. High index of suspicion plays a significant role in the diagnosis in patients having clinical symptoms ranging from fecal occult blood to massive gastrointestinal bleeding, accompanied by hemorrhagic shock. A 65-year-old male patient developed two secondary aortoenteric fistulas consecutively. The first one was aortic graft-jejunal and the second one was aortic graft-duodenal in a short period. Secondary aortoenteric fistula developed after aortobifemoral bypass. The patient underwent graft revision and jejunal repair. He was reoperated three months later due to the newly developed aortic graft-duodenal fistula. The duodenal defect was closed, and an extra-anatomic aortoiliac bypass was performed to avoid graft-related enteric fistula. The patient was discharged uneventfully and was free from any complication at nine months after surgery.

Gastropleural Fistula with Aortic Intramural Involvement

Gastropleural fistula is a relatively rare complication that can be seen as a result of traumatic, nontraumatic, benign, and neoplastic etiologies. Most commonly, these are found in patients with diaphragmatic herniation or prior thoracic surgery. Aortoenteric fistulas are rare communications typically between the abdominal aorta and bowel. We present a rare case of an 88-year-old male who developed a gastropleural fistula with erosions into the wall of the descending thoracic aorta. Computed tomography (CT) is a leading modality in evaluation of suspected gastropleural or aortoenteric fistulas given the quick scan time and widespread availability. Prompt diagnosis is essential and requires an understanding of appropriate CT protocols and CT imaging appearance.