Aortoesophageal fistula due to caustic ingestion.
OBJECTIVE
Caustic agent ingestion may produce corrosive lesions that can extend beyond adjacent organs. We report three cases of aortoesophageal fistulas (AEF) after caustic ingestion that were diagnosed by autopsy.


RESULTS
AEF is a fatal complication that should be suspected in any patient with caustic ingestion who presents with gastrointestinal bleeding. A high index of suspicion, early recognition by gastrointestinal endoscopy, computed tomography scan, and aortography are important to improve the outcome.
Yegane
R-A
RA
Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Loqman-Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Kamali St, Tehran, Iran. yeganeh33_r@yahoo.com
Bashtar
R
R
Bashashati
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D001344:Autopsy; D002424:Caustics / Q000506:poisoning*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006396:Hematemesis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013405:Suicide; D016157:Vascular Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
D002424:Caustics