Life Threatening Aortoesophageal Fistula Following Modified Hemiarch Repair and Aortic Valve Replacement in Acute Type A Aortic Dissection

Abstract

Acute type A aortic dissection mandates emergent surgical intervention to prevent life-threatening complications and sudden death. Despite the advances in healthcare and medical technology, surgical repair of the dissection is high-risk and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) is an extremely rare but severe complication of aortic dissection and survivors of this sequalae are sparsely documented in previous literature. We report the successful management of a case with catastrophic perioperative complication of AEF after repair of acute Stanford type A aortic dissection.