Secondary Aorto-Colonic Fistula: A Case Report and Literature Review of a Rare Complication after EVAR.

Background: Aorto-enteric fistula (AEF) is a rare but fatal condition. The incidence of the overall AEF was approximately 0.36-2%, but the incidence of the aorto-colonic fistula was scarcely reported. A history of abdominal pain, fever, or gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in a patient with a history of aortic intervention should be highly suspected of this condition. This report describes a patient with lower GIB after an endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for a symptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Case Presentation: A 65-year-old man with a history of EVAR for symptomatic AAA presented with a massive lower GIB for two weeks. He also had a history of left lower quadrant pain and low-grade fever. Diverticular disease was suspected, and medical treatment was administered. After the initial conservative treatment, a colonoscopy was performed. The findings showed a fistula that exposed an aortic stent graft at the left-sided colon. An aorto-colonic fistula was diagnosed. After administering intravenous (IV) antibiotics, a staged axillo-bifemoral bypass graft with aortic stent graft explantation was performed. The patient recovered well and was discharged home after a month of hospitalization and IV antibiotics. Conclusion: In a patient with a history of aortic intervention, any abdominal pain, unknown fever, or even GIB should be suspected of complications of aortic intervention. Highly suspicious of this rare condition is the key to an early diagnosis and prompt treatment.

Early and Late Outcomes of Endovascular Aneurysm Repair for Infected Abdominal Aortic and/or Iliac Aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: Infected abdominal aortic and/or iliac aneurysm (AAIA) is a rare condition with a high mortality rate when treated with open surgery. In the past decade, the condition has increasingly been treated with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). However, early and late outcomes, including the continued need for antibiotic treatments and predictors of persistent infection, are poorly understood. METHODS: We evaluated the outcomes of patients who underwent EVAR for infected AAIA from January 2010 to October 2017. We collected data including patient age, gender, clinical presentation, aneurysm location, culture results, intraoperative details, postoperative complications, 30-day mortality, in-hospital mortality, persistent infection, reintervention, and survival. RESULTS: Among 792 patients diagnosed with AAIA, 64 were diagnosed with primary infected aneurysm, underwent EVAR, and were included in this study (81.3% male; median age, 72 years; range, 18-94 years). The most commonly isolated organisms were Salmonella species (34%), followed by Streptococcus (21%), and Staphylococcus species (21%). Aneurysms were intact in 48 patients (75%) and were ruptured in 16 (25%). The perioperative mortality was 4.7% (3 patients) of whom one was diagnosed with ruptured infected AAIA. Six (9.4%) patients died during hospitalization, 5 of severe sepsis with multiorgan failure and one of myocardial infarction. Among the 58 surviving patients, 34 (58.6%) had persistent infection, of whom 13 (22.4%) required early and late reintervention, including 2 with endograft infection, 8 with primary and secondary aortoenteric fistula, 2 with recurrent new aortic infection, and one with graft limb occlusion. The remaining 24 patients were able to discontinue antibiotics and had no recurrence or need for reintervention. Overall survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years in the antibiotic-discontinuation group were 91.7%, 87.5%, and 68.0%, respectively, and 82.4%, 52.6%, and 32.9%, respectively, in the persistent-infection group (P = 0.009). In multivariable analysis, primary aortoenteric fistula (Adjusted OR [aOR], 20.469; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.265-331.320; P = 0.034) and preoperative serum albumin level <3 g/dL (aOR, 7.399; 95% CI, 1.176-46.558; P = 0.033) were preoperative parameter that predicted persistent infection. A C-reactive protein level more than 5 mg/L (aOR, 34.378; 95% CI, 4.888-241.788; P < 0.001) was observed in patients with persistent infection. CONCLUSIONS: EVAR is a feasible treatment with acceptable perioperative mortality for infected AAIA. Patients able to discontinue antibiotics have better survival and lower reintervention rates than those with persistent infection. A preoperative albumin level below 3 g/dL and primary aortoenteric fistula predicted persistent infection in this population.

The length of small bowel in Thai patients.

OBJECTIVE: To Evaluate the length of small bowel (SB) in Thai patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The present prospective study included Thai adults who underwent elective open laparotomy at the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital between August 2011 and May 2012. Patients who had previous laparotomy, intra-abdominal adhesions, or gross abnormality of SB were excluded The length of SB was measured using an umbilical cord tape, from the duodeno-jejunal junction to the ileo-cecal valve. RESULTS: Sixty-four patients were enrolled during the study period According to the exclusion criteria, only 48 patients were eligible for study. There were 27 men and 21 women, with an average age of 60 years (range 28-88). The average length of SB (only jejunum and ileum) was 428 +/- 105 cm (range 169-745). Male adults had about 90 cm longer SB than female adults (468 +/- 105 cm vs. 376 +/- 81 cm; p < 0.01), particularly of the jejunum (179 +/- 78 cm vs. 106 +/- 38 cm; p < 0.01). The ileum accounted for about two-third of the total SB length. There was no association between SB length and age, body weight, height, or body mass index. CONCLUSION: Based on the present study, the total length of small bowel (jejunum and ileum) in Thai patients was approximately 430 cm. Male adults had significant longer SB than female adults, particularly the jejunal segment.