CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ARTERIO-ENTERIC FISTULA: A CASE REPORT

Abstract

Gastro-intestinal (GI) bleeding may originate anywhere from oral cavity to anus from the innocuous one like peptic ulcers to capricious lesion like ca colon.Classically if the cause of bleeding is somewhere below the ligament of Treitz, the stools are maroon or bright red in colour and it is described as lower GI bleeding or hematochezia. Arterioenteric fistula signifies a rare but important cause of massive lower GI bleeding .The vexing problem lies in proper and timely diagnosis of this condition.A keen clinical acumen and proper use of tests lead to accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment and can be lifesaving for the patient by treating significant ongoing bloodloss. We wish to report such a case of an arterio-enteric fistula between artery of broad ligament of uterus and terminal ileum diagnosed and successfully treated at our institute.