title: Repair of an aberrant subclavian arterioesophageal fistula following esophageal stent placement.
abstract: A fistula formation between the esophagus and an aberrant right subclavian artery is a rare but fatal complication that has been mostly described in the setting of prolonged nasogastric intubation and foreign body erosion. We report a case of a young morbidly obese patient who underwent sleeve gastrectomy that was complicated by a postoperative leak at the level of the gastroesophageal junction. A covered esophageal stent was placed endoscopically to treat the leak. The patient developed massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to the erosion of the stent into an aberrant retroesophageal right subclavian artery twelve days after stent placement. She was ultimately treated by endovascular stenting of the aberrant right subclavian artery followed by thoracotomy and esophageal repair over a T-tube. This case report highlights the multidisciplinary approach needed to diagnose and manage such a devastating complication. It also emphasizes the need for imaging studies prior to stent deployment to delineate the vascular anatomy and rule out the possibility of such an anomaly in view of the growing popularity of esophageal stents, especially in the setting of a leak.
authors: Maen Aboul Hosn, Bassem Safadi, Ali Hallal, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, American University of Beirut, Riad El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon.
authors: Maen Aboul
authors: MA
authors: Hosn
authors: Maen Aboul Hosn, Bassem Safadi, Ali Hallal, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, American University of Beirut, Riad El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon.
authors: Fady
authors: F
authors: Haddad
authors: Maen Aboul Hosn, Bassem Safadi, Ali Hallal, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, American University of Beirut, Riad El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon.
authors: Fadi
authors: F
authors: El-Merhi
authors: Maen Aboul Hosn, Bassem Safadi, Ali Hallal, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, American University of Beirut, Riad El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon.
authors: Bassem
authors: B
authors: Safadi
authors: Maen Aboul Hosn, Bassem Safadi, Ali Hallal, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, American University of Beirut, Riad El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Hallal
keywords: Aberrant subclavian artery; Angioplasty; Arterioesophageal fistula; Esophageal repair; Esophageal stent; Leak; Sleeve gastrectomy