Case Reports Open access

The cause of intestinal bleeding cannot be missed: the case of primary aortoenteric fistula

Authors

Published
15 June 2016
Section
Case Reports
DOI
10.4081/ecj.2016.5845

Abstract

Primary aortoenteric fistula (PAEF) is a rare condition of intestinal hemorrhage. We herein report a case of this condition initially suspected by ultrasonographic evaluation and subsequently confirmed by computed tomography. PAEF should be considered a possible cause in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding of uncertain etiology and especially in patients with known aortic aneurysms. The rapid recognition of this condition may save the life of these patients because in untreated subjects the mortality is 100%, frequently due to hypovolemic shock.

Keywords

Author Biographies

  • Bahjat Barakat, Department of Emergency, Sant’Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna

    Department of Emergency

  • Lucia Calculli, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Prevention, Sant’Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna

    Department of Radiology

  • Raffaele Pezzilli, Department of Digestive System, Sant’Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna

    Department of Digestive Sysstem

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