Aortoesophageal fistula: case report and literature review.

Fistulous communication between the aorta and esophagus is a rare but usually fatal disorder. Esophageal foreign bodies have been reported to cause aortoesophageal fistula rarely. Spontaneous aortoesophageal fistula as a result of atherosclerotic disease of the aorta has not been reported. This article describes a case of aortoesophageal fistula caused by an ulcerated atherosclerotic plaque, which we believe is the first case report implicating such an etiologic factor.