Successful Treatment of an Aortoesophageal Fistula After Emergency Endovascular Thoracic Aortic Stent-Graft Placement

We report the case of a 57-year-old man who underwent emergency stent-graft placement in August 2003 due to a contained rupture of a distal descending aortic aneurysm. After 1 month the patient was readmitted with chest pain as well as swallowing disorders. A computed tomographic scan revealed a fistula between the distal esophagus and the excluded aneurysm sac. The patient was treated by an esophagectomy, a cervical esophagostomy, as well as a feeding gastrostomy. The infectious parietal thrombus was partially debrided and the aneurysm sac was filled with vancomycin. After 3 months continuity was reinstalled with a pedicled isoperistaltic transverse colonic conduit. The patient recovered uneventfully. At a 3 month follow-up, he showed no signs of infection. However, he is still being treated with antibiotic therapy of ciprofloxacin for a minimum of 1 year.