[Diagnosis and therapy of second aortoenteric fistulas: results of 16 patients].

From January 1977 to July 1997, 16 patients with aorto/iliac-enteric fistulas underwent repair. The fistula became apparent at a mean of 51 months. Gastrointestinal bleeding was the main symptom in 11 cases, 4 patients had a cutaneous fistula, and 1 developed retroperitoneal bleeding. The preoperative diagnosis was established in one-half of the cases. Three patients had to be treated surgically on an emergency basis without a preoperative diagnosis because of bleeding, 7 patients were semi-urgent and 6 had elective surgery. In 3 cases treatment consisted only of local repair. In 6 patients we performed extra-anatomic revascularization and in 7 patients we achieved restoration by in situ replacement after removal of all infected prosthetic material. Eight of 16 patients survived the perioperative period. Local repair alone cannot be recommended. All 3 patients died. The mortality rates between extra-anatomic revascularization and in situ reconstruction are comparable.