Current surgery
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Aortoenteric fistula is defined as a communication between the aorta and any adjacent segment of the bowel. It may be primary or secondary. The former occurs de novo in patients with intestinal or vascular diseases, whereas secondary aortoenteric fistula is a rare and dreadful complication of aortic reconstruction with vascular prosthesis. ⋯ Diagnosis of secondary aortoenteric fistula was made between the aortoiliac graft and sigmoid colon. After exploratory laparotomy, Hartmann's procedure, excision of the graft, oversewing of the aortic stump, and axilobifemoral bypass were successfully performed. This study reports a rare type of secondary aortoenteric fistula to the left colon, and it describes an unusual and successful surgical treatment.
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In most reports, dialysis-dependent patients are known to be at increased risk for perioperative morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgical procedures.(1-7) However, the preoperative factors important for risk stratification of patients who have renal insufficiency but are not dialysis dependent are unclear. We set forth to ascertain preoperative risk factors important for predicting 2 endpoints: (1) dialysis at discharge and (2) hospital death. ⋯ These data allow for a more accurate assessment of risk stratification in this group of patients with renal insufficiency but who are not dependent on dialysis. Given the data presented here and other studies that report good outcomes for patients with renal disease after cardiac surgical procedures,(8-10) earlier operative intervention for coronary disease in this subset of patients might be warranted.