Strategies for endovascular aortic repair in aortobronchial and aortoesophageal fistulas

Abstract

Objective: To report our experience of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for acute bleeding originating from the thoracic aorta in patients with aortobronchial fistula (ABF) or aortoesophageal fistula (AEF).

Patients and methods: A total of nine patients (three woman) were treated from September 1995 to March 2012 by TEVAR for ABF (n = 5) and AEF (n = 4). The implants (N = 14) were introduced with fluoroscopic guidance via the aorta (n = 1), the iliac (n = 2), or femoral (n = 11) artery, respectively.

Results: All aortic lesions could be sealed successfully. Perioperative morbidity was 0% in the ABF group and 50% (2 of 4) in the AEF group and no procedure-related morbidity was noted except one patient who received aortofemoral reconstruction because of iliac occlusive disease. After an overall mean follow-up of 56 months, three patients of the ABF group are alive and well and two patients died of nonrelated cause. Of the AEF group, one patient is alive after 22 months, and one died from metastasized esophageal cancer after 7 months.

Conclusion: TEVAR is a safe and reliable procedure in the management of ABF. For AEF, TEVAR provides a successful first-line treatment to seal the fistula and control bleeding. However, prognosis is limited by the esophageal lesion and by ongoing mediastinitis/sepsis.