Primary aortoesophageal fistula: a rare cause of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a potentially life-threateningemergency, especially in the elderly. This condition accounts for approximately1% of all emergency room admissions. Among the causes of such bleedingis aortoesophageal fistula, a dreaded but apparently rare condition, firstrecognized in 1818. The great majority of cases are of primary aortoesophagealfistula, caused by atheromatous aortic aneurysms or, less frequently, bypenetrating aortic ulcer. The clinical presentation of aortoesophageal fistulais typically characterized by the so-called Chiari’s triad, consisting of thoracicpain followed by herald bleeding, a variable, short symptom-free interval,and fatal exsanguinating hemorrhage. The prognosis is poor, the in-hospitalmortality rate being 60%. Conservative treatment does not prolong survival,and the in-hospital mortality rate is 40% for patients submitted to conventionalsurgical treatment. Here, we report the case of a 93-year-old woman whopresented to the emergency room with a history of hematemesis. The patientwas first submitted to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, the findings of whichwere suggestive of aortoesophageal fistula. The diagnosis was confirmedby multidetector computed tomography of the chest. Surgery was indicated.However, on the way to the operating room, the patient presented with massivebleeding and went into cardiac arrest, which resulted in her death