Aorto-cutaneous fistula from an infected ascending aorta graft resulting in massive hemorrhage after a Valsalva maneuver for a heavy weight lift

Aorto-cutaneous fistula of the ascending aorta-case report and a literature review of endovascular management

Aorto-cutaneous fistulas are an unusual and life-threatening complication after aortic surgery. We present the case of an endovascular intervention for an aorto-cutaneous fistula of the ascending aorta that was intended to be a bridge to definitive surgical treatment and report a literature review. A 56-year-old woman had a previous Bentall's procedure and mitral valve annuloplasty in 2016. Four years later she re-presented with an infective pseudoaneurysm of the distal anastomosis of the ascending aortic graft, with aorto-cutaneous fistulation. She was at high risk for a revision operation and required optimization before a major open surgery. A thoracic endovascular aortic repair stent graft (Valiant Navion; Medtronic Inc) was implanted to exclude the distal anastomotic pseudoaneurysm. Two months later she re-presented with a new infected pseudoaneurysm at the proximal end of the previously implanted stent graft, and a further thoracic endovascular aortic repair was undertaken.