Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Technical Aspects of the Mouse Aortocaval Fistula
Published on: July 11, 2013
Critical gastrointestinal bleed due to secondary aortoenteric fistula
Mohammad U Malik1, Enver Ucbilek2, Amanpreet S Sherwal3
1Department of Internal Medicine, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, Johnstown, PA, USA; mmalik@conemaugh.org.
Abstract:
Secondary aortoenteric fistula (SAEF) is a rare yet lethal cause of gastrointestinal bleeding and occurs as a complication of an abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Clinical presentation may vary from herald bleeding to overt sepsis and requires high index of suspicion and clinical judgment to establish diagnosis. Initial diagnostic tests may include computerized tomography scan and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Each test has variable sensitivity and specificity. Maintaining the hemodynamic status, control of bleeding, removal of the infected graft, and infection control may improve clinical outcomes. This review entails the updated literature on diagnosis and management of SAEF. A literature search was conducted for articles published in English, on PubMed and Scopus using the following search terms: secondary, aortoenteric, aorto-enteric, aortoduodenal, aorto-duodenal, aortoesophageal, and aorto-esophageal. A combination of MeSH terms and Boolean operators were used to device search strategy. In addition, a bibliography of clinically relevant articles was searched to find additional articles (Appendix A). The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive update on the diagnosis, management, and prognosis of SAEF.
Related Concept Videos
Aneurysm III: Interprofessional Care
Esophageal Varices-II: Clinical Features and Management
In the initial assessment, a thorough review of the patient's medical history is vital to identify risk factors such as liver disease, alcohol...
Esophageal Varices-I: Introduction
Aneurysm II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Esophageal Perforation-II: Clinical Manifestations and Management
Clinical Manifestations:
Esophageal Perforation-I: Introduction
The location of esophageal perforation can vary, occurring anywhere along the esophagus....

