Secondary aortoenteric fistula: 3 case reports and review

Secondary aortoenteric fistula is a rare but well-known delayed and life-threatening complication of previous aortic reconstruction which is as difficult to diagnose as it is to treat. A combination of esophagogastroduodenoscopy and computed tomography (CT) or MR may offer the best chance of detecting a fistula, but the most important tool to achieve diagnosis is clinical suspicion in patients who have undergone aortic surgery and present classically with either signs of infection or gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The authors report 3 cases of aortoenteric fistulas presenting during 10 months to the 3rd Dept. of I…