Endovascular Management of Para-prosthetic Aortocaval Fistula: Case Report and Systematic Review of the Literature

The aim of this article is to report a case of asymptomatic para-anastomotic aortocaval fistula (ACF) treated by endovascular aortic repair, and to review data of the literature on arteriovenous fistulae secondary to abdominal aortic surgery. A 78-year-old male complained of worsening pain in the right lower limb since 2 months. He presented a history of right femoropopliteal bypass for peripheral arterial occlusive disease and elective surgical treatment for a non ruptured infrarenal aortic aneurysm (Dacron tube graft). Duplex ultrasound revealed an occlusion of the right common femoral artery and bypass graft. The digital subtraction angiography confirmed these findings and showed progression of the contrast medium from the aorta to the inferior vena cava at aortic carrefour level, suggestive of ACF. An abdomen/pelvis computed tomography angiogram (CTA) confirmed the arteriovenous communication at distal anastomosis of the aortoaortic Dacron graft. An urgent endovascular placement of AFXTM (Endologix, Inc., Irvine, CA) aorto-biiliac stent graft was performed, associated with endarterectomy of the right common and deep femoral artery. The postoperative course was regular without complications. The 5-day and 1-month CTA showed complete exclusion of the ACF. A systematic review of the literature was also performed regarding ACF secondary to aortic surgery.