CASE REPORTS  VASCULAR PAPERS 

The Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 1998 August;39(4):433-6

Copyright © 2000 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

The spontaneous aortocaval fistula: a complication of the abdominal aortic aneurysm. Case report and review of the literature

Abbadi A. C., Deldime P., Van Espen D., Simon M.*, Rosoux Ph.**

From the Department of Surgery, * Department of Anaesthesia and ** Department of Radiology, Clinic Saint-Joseph, Arlon, Belgium

An aor­toc­aval fis­tula is a ­rare com­pli­ca­tion of the abdom­inal ­aortic aneu­rysm: ­early diag­nosis and appro­priate sur­gery ­improve sur­vival. We ­report the ­case of a ­patient pre­senting ­with abdom­inal ­pain and ­oedema of ­both ­lower ­limbs sec­on­dary to an aor­toc­aval fis­tula. CT-­scan con­firmed the diag­nosis and suc­cessful sur­gery was per­formed in the emer­gency ­room. Imme­diate hae­mos­tasis on the infe­rior ­vena ­cava is ­easier ­when pre­op­er­a­tive diag­nosis of the fis­tula has ­been ­made.