Too big to fail?-An aggressive strategy for a dire problem.

ABSTRACT

Tracheo-innominate fistula (TIF) is a reported complication of tracheostomy that typically presents with a herald bleed. The phenomenon of an aortotracheal fistula has similar pathology and presentation to TIF, but no standard surgical repair. In the manuscript by Musgrove et al. in the Journal of Cardiac Surgery, the authors propose a surgical treatment that is reproducible for the correct anatomic configuration-an ascending and aortic arch replacement, pericardial patch of the tracheal defect, and omental flap coverage. While this intervention is a large undertaking for a small defect, it is a safe and durable repair.