Dual-modality emergency management of a rare cause of an aorto-oesophageal fistula: a case report

Rishi Vasanthan; Yasmin Tabbakh; Sophie Doran; Daryll Baker; Julian Hague; Yassar Qureshi; Khaled Dawas; Borzoueh Mohammadi

doi:10.1093/jscr/rjab035

Dual-modality emergency management of a rare cause of an aorto-oesophageal fistula: a case report

J Surg Case Rep. 2021 Mar 8;2021(3):rjab035. doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjab035. eCollection 2021 Mar.

Authors

Rishi Vasanthan¹, Yasmin Tabbakh², Sophie Doran², Daryll Baker³, Julian Hague⁴, Yassar Qureshi², Khaled Dawas², Borzoueh Mohammadi²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
² Department of Upper Gastro-Intestinal Surgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
³ Department of Vascular Surgery, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
⁴ Department of Radiology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Abstract

Aorto-oesophageal fistula (AOF) is a life-threatening condition that usually presents with upper gastro-intestinal haemorrhage. This case report details the emergency presentation and management of a 51-year-old male who presented with hematemesis secondary to an impacted denture (ingested two years previously) in the oesophagus that had led to an AOF. This necessitated urgent thoracic endovascular aortic repair followed by thoracotomy, oesophagotomy, T-tube insertion and oesophagostomy. This is the first documentation in the literature of the dual-modality management for this rare cause of AOF and demonstrates the multidisciplinary approach to successful management of this complex yet rare presentation.

Keywords: Aorta; Endovascular Procedures; General surgery; Oesophagus; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract; interventional Radiology.

Publication types

Case Reports