Abstract

ACUCENA, F. et al. Hemorragia digestiva por fístula aorto-entérica: 3 casos. J Port Gastrenterol. [online]. 2006, vol.13, n.1, pp.40-43. ISSN 0872-8178.

Aortoenteric fistula is one of the more rare causes of digestive bleeding. It is usually a late complication, although it can occur early after aortic surgery; in both circumstances the mortality rate is high. The authors present three cases of digestive haemorrhage caused by aortoenteric fistula in males between the ages of 59 and 79 who had undergone previous abdominal aortic surgery. In two cases the diagnosis was made by upper endoscopy, and in the third case the diagnosis was made after exploratory laparotomy. Two patients successfully underwent corrective surgery but the third died preoperatively due to massive haemorrhage. In patients with digestive bleeding and previous abdominal aortic surgery, aortoenteric fistula must be considered in the differential diagnosis. Surgery must always be treatment of choice; if left untreated, the outcome is invariably fatal. Although it is a rare condition, curiously all three cases described were admitted to hospital in the space of one and half months.

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