Work

What lies beneath a duodenal clot? Direct endoscopic diagnosis of a secondary aorto-duodenal fistula

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Aortoenteric fistula (AEF) is defined as the abnormal communication between the aorta and the gastrointestinal tract.AEFs are divided into primary and secondary usually after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) recovery and are a rare but quite dangerous cause of gastrointestinal bleeding that the general surgeon may face during his/her career.Secondary AEF was first described in 1953 to a 44-year-old woman 3 months after an AAA operation.This review presents the role of the surgeon in the management of secondary aortoenteric fistulas.AEFs are a rare but fatal gastrointestinal bleeding cause that the general surgeon may be asked to manage.Diagnosis requires the combination of strong clinical suspicion and the presence of a history of AAA surgery.Although a vascular surgery case, general surgeons play a role in choosing the technique of restoring the intestinal tract, which seems to be significantly related to subsequent morbidity and mortality.

Source: Clinical Endoscopy

DOI: 10.5946/ce.2026.415

Authors: Dhanai Di Paolo, Alberto Martegani, Franco Radaelli, Emanuele Rondonotti

Institutions: Ospedale Cristo Re, Ospedale Valduce

Language: English

Topic: Infectious Aortic and Vascular Conditions

Subfield: Surgery

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $242