Fistula Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Fistula, including details on types, causes, treatment.

Aortoesophageal fistula after thoracic endovascular aortic repair and transthoracic embolization.

Riesenman PJ, Farber MA, Mauro MA, Selzman CH, Feins RH

Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.

Endografts are more commonly being used to treat thoracic aortic aneurysms and other vascular lesions. Endoleaks are a potential complication of this treatment modality and can be associated with aneurysmal sac expansion and rupture. This case report presents a patient who developed a type IA endoleak after endograft repair of a descending thoracic aneurysm. The endoleak was successfully treated through computed tomographic-guided transthoracic embolization, although the patient experienced lower extremity paraparesis postprocedurally. The patient's endovascular repair was complicated by the development of an aortoesophageal fistula and endograft infection necessitating operative débridement and endograft explantation.

Published 1 October 2007 in J Vasc Surg, 46(4): 789-91.
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