title: Case report and review of the literature: spontaneous aortobronchial fistula.
abstract: We present a fatal case of aortobronchial fistula due to ruptured atherosclerotic aneurysm of the aorta into the left lower lobe, bronchus. Also, review of the pertinent literature is presented. Fistulas between the aorta and tracheobronchial tree are rare but usually lethal if not treated promptly and timely, as they can cause fatal hemoptysis. Aortobronchial fistulas occur most often in patients who have a history of thoracic vascular surgery. Nevertheless, few cases without previous thoracic surgery, trauma or infectious process of the aorta have been described in the literature. [corrected].
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mountain Home, TN 37684, USA.
authors.forename: Gabriel A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Zaietta
authors.forename: Abhijit A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Raval
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Murillo
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Ryland P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Byrd
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Roy
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000473:pathology; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology; D001983:Bronchial Fistula / Q000473:pathology*; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed