Endovascular stent-graft repair of aorto-esophageal fistula causing upper gastrointestinal bleeding

An 83 year old woman with massive upper GIT bleeding was diagnosed as having an aorto-esophageal fistula in the mid descending thoracic aorta which was mildly aneurysmatic and showed atheromatous changes. Past medical history reported Giant Cell Arteritis. Following endoscopy and evaluation using CT angiography, the patient underwent an endovascular stent graft repair of the thoracic aorta using a Talent stent graft. Recovery was uneventful and the patient recuperated. This case study discusses a possible common baseline pathology of the thoracic aortic aneurysm, the aorto-esophageal fistula and the Giant Cell Arteritis.