Aortoenteric fisulta

Background

A fistula formed between aorta and intestines, can be primary or secondary (often due to AAA repair)

• Can form fistula anytime within life of AAA graft repair

Incidence: The annual incidence of primary aortoenteric fistulas is estimated to be about 0.007 per million while secondary aortoenteric fistulas is about 0.6-2%

Clinical Features

• Classic triad of abdominal pain, GI bleeding and pulsatile abdominal mass only present in 23% of patients
• Low grade fever,
• abd pain,
• Back pain,
• h/o AAA graft
• BRBPR

Differential Diagnosis

Undifferentiated lower gastrointestinal bleeding

• Upper GI Bleeding
• Diverticular disease
  • Diverticulosis
  • Diverticulitis
• Vascular ectasia / angiodysplasia
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Infectious colitis
• Mesenteric Ischemia / ischemic colitis
• Meckel's diverticulum
• Colorectal cancer / polyps
• Hemorrhoids
  • Internal hemorrhoid
  • External hemorrhoid
• Aortoenteric fistula
  • Nearly 100% mortality if untreated
  • Consider in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding and known abdominal aortic aneurysms or aortic grafts
• Rectal foreign body
• Rectal ulcer (HIV, Syphilis, STI)
• Anal fissure

Workup

• CBC
• Chem 10
• Type and Cross
• PT/INR/PTT
• chest xray for pre-op, if patient stable
• EKG for pre-op
• CTA of abdomen/pelvis, highly sensitive, if patient stable
• Patient may need gastroduodenal endoscopy
• If suspicion high, involve vascular surgery early