ENTERIC FISTULIZATION OF A COMMON ILIAC ARTERY ANEURYSM - AN UNUSUAL CAUSE OF GASTROINTESTINAL HEMORRHAGE AND SHOCK

A 78 year old man with a history of recent unexplained lower gastroint estinal bleeding presented to the emergency department with the acute onset of abdominal pain, tenesmus, and shock. Computed tomography of t he abdomen showed a fistula between a common iliac artery aneurysm and the small intestine, Laparotomy demonstrated a saccular aneurysm of t he common and proximal internal iliac arteries with fistulous communic ation to the distal ileum, Aneurysmectomy, arteriorrhaphy, and segment al ileal resection with primary anastomosis were successfully performe d. This case illustrates a rare complication of an uncommon aneurysm, emphasizing the need for emergency physicians to consider complicated vascular disease in the evaluation of a patient with abdominal pain an d shock. (Am J Emerg Med 1996;14:272-275. Copyright (C) 1996 by W.B. S aunders Company)