Management of secondary aortoesophageal fistula without graft extraction.

Aortoesophageal fistula is a rare but fatal complication of thoracic aortic surgery. The prognosis for the subtype of esophagoparaprosthetic fistula (EPPF), in which the implanted aortic prosthesis protrudes into the esophageal lumen, is especially poor. Here we report a case of EPPF that was successfully managed without removal of the aortic prosthesis.