Management Algorithm for Aortoesophageal Fistulas Joseph D Whitlark MD FACS, Lydia Rotondo DNP RN, Alex Su THORACIC AND VASCULAR ASSOCIATES OF KINSTON, KINSTON, NC
Aortoesophageal fistulas RARE, BUT BECOMING MORE COMMON WITH THORACIC ENDOVASCULAR AORTIC REPAIR (TeVAR) EXTREMELY HIGH MORTALITY WITH PRIMARY SURGICAL REPAIR (80% IN SOME SERIES) TeVAR ALONE IS NOT SUFFICIENT, BUT DOES BUY TIME FOR DEFINITIVE REPAIR MINIMALLY INVASIVE ESOPHAGEAL SURGERY RESULTS IN LOWER MORTALITY FOR ESOPHAGEAL RESECTIONS IN GENERAL
52 yo male with obstructing midesophageal cancer had a covered esophageal stent inserted, with a laparoscopic j-tube After two months of chemoradiation, developed massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding from an aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) TeVAR performed emergently, and bleeding controlled Three weeks later, a thoracoscopic esophagectomy with a cervical esophagostomy, lapascopic gastrostomy tube and left gastric artery ligation performed (pathology – Complete Responder) Two months later, a substernal gastric pull-up with cervical esophagogastrostomy performed. Discharged home on POD #9 Six months later, swallowing normally with no evidence of disease, normal CT scan, on no antibiotics
ALGORITHM FOR AEF’s EMERGENT TeVAR (EVEN WITH EXISTING THORACIC AORTIC STENT GRAFT IN PLACE) TO CONTROL BLEEDING RESUSCITATE, SUPPORT NUTRITIONALLY, AND TREAT WITH ANTIBIOTICS (2 TO 6 WEEKS) MINIMALLY INVASIVE THORACOSCOPIC ESOPHAGECTOMY, CERVICAL ESOPHAGOSTOMY, LAPAROSCOPY WITH LEFT GASTRIC ARTERY LIGATION TO PREPARE GASTRIC TUBE AND GASTROSTOMY TUBE TO KEEP GASTRIC MUCOSA STIMULATED
ALGORITHM FOR AEF’S WHEN ADEQUATELY RECOVERED (4-8 WEEKS), RE-ESTABLISH ENTERIC CONTINUITY WITH A SUBSTERNAL GASTRIC PULL UP AND CERVICAL ESOPHAGOGASTROSTOMY (LAPAROSCOPIC PREPARATION OF GASTRIC TUBE)
ALGORITHM FOR AEF’S THE COMBINATION OF MINIMALLY INVASIVE AORTIC CONTROL ALONG WITH STAGED MINIMALLY INVASIVE ESOPHAGEAL RESECTION AND RECONSTRUCTION MAY LOWER THE OVERALL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY FROM THIS LETHAL PROBLEM SPECIAL THANKS TO DR OMAR AWAIS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH FOR HIS TIMELY ADVICE AND GUIDANCE