CASE REPORTS   

The Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 2006 April;47(2):221-7

Copyright © 2006 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Role of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in aortobronchial fistula diagnosis following aortic coarctation reparative surgery. Report of two cases

Pinilla I. ¹, Bret M. ¹, Cuesta E. ¹, Borches D. ², Oliver J. M. ², Gómez-León N. ¹

¹ Department of Radiology Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain 2 Department of Cardiovascular Surgery Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain

Aortobronchial fistula (ABF) is an uncommon complication of aortic coarctation repair which may occur years after successful coarctation correction. It is invariably fatal if not diagnosed and treated. ABF diagnosis poses a challenge for clinicians and radiologists because of the difficulty in detecting the fistula and the risks associated with some of the diagnostic procedures. Two cases of ABF occurring 1 and 20 years after reparative surgery of aortic coarctation are reported. The advantages and disadvantages of different imaging procedures for the evaluation of patients with suspected ABF are reviewed and the role of computed tomography angiography and magnetic resonance imaging is underlined.