Aorto-pulmonary fistula: a rare acquired lesion.
Rupture of thoracic aortic aneurysms usually result in death from tamponade. Rarely does fistulous formation between the aorta and pulmonary artery complicate rupture. Such a complication results in the development of an acute left to right shunt. Although many previous reports occur in the literature only 10 include surgical management of an acquired aortic-pulmonary fistula. Two cases are presented with a description of their surgical management and outcome. Both these patients had previously undergone aortic valve replacement in the distant past for aortic regurgitation. These were the only 2 cases found in a review of 890 aortic valve replacements in Papworth Hospital over a 10 year period from 1975. The sicker of the two patients died during the operation and the second made a prompt recovery, succumbing a few years later to a cerebro-vascular accident.
Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, England.
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Large
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English
D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000150:complications*; D001159:Arterio-Arterial Fistula / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011651:Pulmonary Artery