Aortoesophageal fistula - relief of massive hematemesis with an endovascular stent-graft

A 59-year-old man with an esophageal carcinoma developed massive hematemesi s due to aortoesophageal fistula after irradiation therapy reached 58 Gy. E mergent treatment with an endovascular stent-graft was successfully perform ed and the patient followed an uneventful course until he died of pneumonia 4.5 months later, which was caused by a tracheoesophageal fistula. Stent-g raft repair is a safe and effective method to treat aortoesophageal fistula and may be an alternative to surgical resection. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.