• R Colleoni Neto, A Figueira, E Belassai, M E Jorge Júnior, J C Del Grande, S H Cardoso, and C M Haddad.
• Disciplina de Gastroenterologia Cirúrgica do Departamento de Cirurgiae, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina.
• Rev Assoc Med Bras. 1998 Apr 1;44(2):149-51.

AbstractBleeding from an arterio-esophageal fistula is a rare and nearly lethal condition and surgical treatment is the only curative option. We report a case of bleeding from a fistula from an aberrant right subclavian artery to the esophagus. Diagnosis was made only at necropsy, despite of three previous laparotomies. This anatomical variation is found in 0.5% of the general population. Development of a communication between this artery and the esophagus, secondary to aneurysmatic dilatation or to prolonged nasogastric intubation, as probably occurred with this patient, is a extremely rare condition. Surgical treatment depends on the early recognition of clinical signs of the arterio-esophageal communication, before the onset of systemic complications of hypovolemic shock.

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