title: Endovascular repair of a tracheoinnominate fistula with a stent graft.
abstract: Massive bleeding from a tracheostomy developed in a 65-year-old woman with stroke after successful conservative management of a minor tracheostomy bleeding episode. Temporary hemostasis was achieved, and angiography showed a tracheoinnominate fistula (TIF), a rare complication of tracheostomy. Open surgery was contraindicated in this patient, so endovascular repair using a stent graft was performed. Permanent hemostasis was obtained, and there were no immediate complications from the procedure. The patient never recovered from her stroke and died 2 weeks later. The endovascular approach may be a feasible alternative to surgical repair of TIF, especially in patients unable to tolerate an open procedure.
authors.affiliation: Heart and Vascular Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guimaraes
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schönholz
authors.forename: Travis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Phifer
authors.forename: Horacio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016122:Brachiocephalic Trunk / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography; D016156:Respiratory Tract Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D015607:Stents; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016157:Vascular Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*