Gastrointestinal hemorrhage caused by secondary aorto-duodenal fistula: report of 5 cases.
Aorto-intestinal fistula is a late complication of reconstructive vascular operation, which is difficult to indentify. After the cessation of a massive, life-threatening bleeding, the best result can be expected from extraanatomical, axillobifemoral bypass. The authors treated 5 patients for fistula, developed following an aorto-bifemoral bypass. Diagnosis could be made before operation only in two of the cases. Axillo-bifemoral bypass was performed in 3 patients following the treatment of the fistula and the removal of the graft; 2 of their patients recovered.