Primary aorto-duodenal fistula as a late complication of radiotherapy: report of a case and review of the literature

Abstract

Primary aorto-duodenal fistula (PADF) is a rare condition that may result in rapid exsanguination if untreated. PADF due to radiotherapy appears to be extremely rare with only a few cases reported in the medical literature. We report the case of a 61-year-old man who presented with massive gastrointestinal bleeding 25 years after surgery and radiotherapy for seminoma of the testicle and was successfully treated at our institution. We also review the literature on this very uncommon condition. A Medline search was conducted for the period from 1966 to June 2006 to identify case reports of PADF following radiotherapy. Only 7 cases of PADF due to radiotherapy were identified in addition to our own, 4 males and 3 females, aged 40 to 73 years, all treated for various forms of abdominal malignancies. The latency period ranged from 2 weeks to 25 years. None of the aortas were aneurysmatic. One patient died before he could be taken to the operating room. 5 patients underwent surgical repair and 4 survived. 2 patients underwent endovascular treatment but did not survive. PADF may develop up to 25 years after radiotherapy. Diagnosis should be considered when massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding develops in a patient who had previous abdominal radiotherapy, no matter how long before the episode of bleeding. Prompt surgical repair offers a reasonable chance of cure. Endovascular procedures do not appear to be efficacious.

Keywords: Gastrointestinal bleeding; Primary aorto-duodenal fistula; Radiotherapy complication.

Fig. 1

Intraoperative findings of PADF, with suture of aortic wall.

Fig. 2

Schematic drawing of the restored intestinal continuity.