Tracheoinnominate fistula in a Duchenne muscular dystrophy patient: Successful management with an endovascular stent

Tracheoarterial fistula in a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis successfully managed by overinflation of the tracheostomy tube cuff alone: a case report

BACKGROUND

Tracheoarterial fistula is the most devastating complication after tracheostomy, and its mortality, without definitive treatment, approaches 100%. In general, the combination of bedside emergency management, that is, overinflation of the tracheostomy tube cuff, and definitive treatment such as surgical or endovascular intervention is necessary to prevent the poor outcome. Patients with neuromuscular diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are susceptible to tracheoarterial fistula because of long-term mechanical ventilation and muscle weakness.

CASE PRESENTATION

We describe a case of tracheoarterial fistula in a Japanese 39-year-old patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with long-term ventilator management. The patient was clinically diagnosed with a tracheoarterial fistula because of massive bleeding following sentinel hemorrhage. The massive hemorrhage was controlled by overinflation of the tracheostomy tube cuff alone, without definitive treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

This case suggests overinflation of the tracheostomy tube cuff alone plays an important role, semi-permanently, in the management of tracheoarterial fistula, especially in cases where surgical or endovascular intervention is not indicated. Clinicians taking care of patients with tracheostomy undergoing long-term mechanical ventilation should be aware that tracheoarterial fistula might occur following tracheostomy.

Post-tracheostomy tracheoinnominate fistula: endovascular treatment

Objective:

Tracheoinnominate fistula (TIF) is a rare and frequently lethal complication of tracheostomies. Immediate bleeding control and surgical treatment are essential to avoid death. This report describes the successful endovascular treatment of TIF in a preschooler and reviews the literature concerning epidemiology, diagnosis, prophylaxis, and treatment of TIF in pediatric patients.

Case description:

A tracheostomized neurologically impaired bed-ridden three-year-old girl was admitted to treat an episode of tracheitis. Tracheostomy had been performed two years before. The child used a plastic cuffed tube continually inflated at low pressure. The patient presented two self-limited bleeding episodes through the tracheostomy in a 48h interval. A new episode was suggestive of arterial bleeding, immediately leading to a provisional diagnosis of TIF, which was confirmed by angiotomography, affecting the bifurcation of the innominate artery and the right tracheal wall. The patient was immediately treated by the endovascular placement of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/nitinol stents in Y configuration. No recurrent TIF, neurological problems, or right arm ischemia have been detected in the follow-up.

Comments:

TIF must be suspected after any significant bleeding from the tracheostoma. Endovascular techniques may provide rapid bleeding control with low morbidity, but they are limited to a few case reports in pediatric patients, all of them addressing adolescents. Long-term follow-up is needed to detect whether stent-related vascular complications will occur with growth.

Evaluation of Endovascular Intervention for Tracheo-Innominate Artery Fistula: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

While the standard of care for suspected tracheo-innominate artery fistula (TIF) necessitates sternotomy, perioperative mortality remains high. Endovascular interventions have been attempted, but reports have been anecdotal. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the outcomes of endovascular management of TIF by pooling the existing evidence.

METHODS

An electronic database search of Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register was performed to identify all studies examining endovascular treatment of TIF. Patients greater than 14 years of age who underwent endovascular intervention for TIF were included. 25 studies consisting of 27 patients met the inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

48.1% (13/27) of patients were male and median age was 39.0 [IQR 16.0, 47.5] years. Tracheostomy was present in 96.3% (26/27) of cases. Median duration from tracheostomy to TIF presentation was 2.2 months [0.5, 42.5]. On presentation, 84.6% (22/26) had tracheal hemorrhage, and 22.8% (6/27) were hemodynamically unstable. 96.3% (26/27) underwent covered stent graft placement while 1 patient (3.8%) had coil embolization. 18.5% (5/27) of patients required repeat endovascular intervention for recurrent bleeding, while 11.1% (3/27) required rescue sternotomy. Median hospital length of stay was 30 days [16.0, 46.5], and overall mortality was 29.6% (8/27) with a median follow-up time of 5 months [1.2, 11.5].

CONCLUSION

While uncommon, endovascular treatment of TIF may be a feasible alternative to sternotomy. The approach may be useful in those who are unable to undergo surgery or are likely to have adhesions from prior chest operations.

Tracheoinnominate Artery Fistula Treated With Endovascular Stent Graft at a Level I Trauma Center

Tracheoinnominate artery fistula could be a fatal complication of tracheostomy. Herein, we present the case of a 59-year-old male with sentinel bleeding around the tracheostomy with subsequent workup revealing a tracheoinnominate fistula. Subsequently, the patient was managed with an endovascular approach with a subsequent favorable outcome. We reported an alternative approach to the management of this catastrophic complication in patients who are at high risk for complications from conventional treatment approach.

Endovascular Treatment of Tracheoinnominate Artery Fistula: A Case Report

Tracheoinnominate fistula is a rare but lethal condition that requires emergent surgical intervention to prevent ensuing exsanguinating hemorrhage. In clinical situations where the risk of open surgery is prohibitively high, endovascular repair may provide a life-saving alternative to control hemorrhage and serve as a temporizing or definitive solution based on a given clinical scenario. The authors report successful endovascular repair of the bleeding tracheoinnominate fistula with a stent in a liver transplant patient with high comorbidities and review the current literature.

Tracheo-innominate fistula in children: A systematic review of literature

OBJECTIVE

Tracheo-innominate fistula (TIF) is a rare but fatal complication of tracheotomy. To date, there is a paucity of literature regarding pediatric TIFs. The objectives of this study were to conduct a systematic review of literature on pediatric TIF following tracheotomy and describe three demonstrative cases from our institutional experience.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review using MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Web of Science, and CINAHL. All studies with pediatric patients (under 18 years of age) who developed TIF following tracheotomy were included.

RESULTS

Fifty-four publications met inclusion criteria, reporting on 77 cases. The most common indication for tracheotomy was prolonged intubation and the need for ventilatory support (38.6%), with neurological comorbidities being the most common indication (72.7%). The mean time to TIF was 395.7 days (95% confidence interval, 225.9-565.5). Fifty-four patients (70.1%) presented with massive hemorrhage, whereas 18 patients (23.3%) presented with a sentinel bleeding event. The most common diagnostic interventions were computed tomography scan with or without contrast and bronchoscopy (55.8%). A substantial number of patients did not have any investigations (41.6%). Surgical management occurred in 70.1% of patients. Mortality was 38.6% in reported cases with variable follow-up periods.

CONCLUSION

TIF may occur in long-term tracheostomy-dependent children, contrary to the conventionally described 3-week postoperative period. The mortality may not be as high as previously reported with timely intervention. Our results are limited by inherent risks of bias. Further research including well-designed cohort studies are needed to guide an evidence-based approach to TIF.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

NA Laryngoscope, 130:217-224, 2020.

Tracheoinnominate Fistula: Endovascular Treatment with a Stent Graft in a 4-Year-Old Child

A 4-year-old boy presented with acute and profuse bleeding at the tracheostomy site. An emergency angiography was performed and identified a pseudoaneurysm at the innominate artery. A selective catheterization of the artery was executed and 2 Advanta V12 balloon-expandable covered stents were implanted in an overlapping manner to occlude the pseudoaneurysm. Final angiography demonstrated patency of the innominate artery and no signs of bleeding. The patient had no postoperative complications and no further bleeding during follow-up. A contrasted computed tomography scan was performed after 20 days and demonstrated no signs of pseudoaneurysm or bleeding. After 4 months, the patient was readmitted to tracheal dilatation and change of T-tube and died of respiratory complications.

Recurrent Tracheoinnominate Artery Fistula due to Stent Graft Fracture

Tracheoinnominate artery fistula (TIF) is one of the most dangerous complications after tracheostomy, and fetal even after surgical repair. Recently, endovascular stent has been introduced as an option for the treatment of TIF. Unfortunately, endovascular stent repair could not replace the surgery due to rare clinical reports about the long-term follow-up and complications of stent graft. More collection of clinical data are necessary for the evaluation of long-term results. We report a rare case of recurrent TIF due to stent graft fracture after endovascular stent graft insertion in the treatment of TIF, and reviewed the world literature.

Tracheoinnominate fistula: successful management with endovascular stenting

Tracheoinnominate fistula is a rare complication of tracheostomy that is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Recently, endovascular stents have been described as a viable treatment option for the management of this condition. We report a case of tracheoinnominate fistula in a 40-year-old man that was successfully managed with endovascular stent placement. Our evaluation included bronchoscopy, arteriography, and computed tomographic angiography. Intraoperative localization of the fistula required selective catheterization of the innominate artery.

Two cases of tracheoinnominate artery fistula following tracheostomy treated successfully by endovascular embolization of the innominate artery

Tracheoinnominate artery fistula (TIF) is a rare but lethal complication of tracheostomy. Treatment has traditionally been surgical, but advances in endovascular technology have led to a few recent reports of therapy with coils. We report 2 cases of TIF with massive hemorrhage that underwent successful treatment with endovascular occlusion. Endovascular repair is less invasive than open surgical repair and usually associated with a shorter recovery period. However, this technique may require multiple coils to inhibit blood flow into the fistula. This procedure should be considered one of the useful treatments for TIF.

Bleeding around a tracheostomy wound: what to consider and what to do?

All patients with bleeding in and around a tracheostomy must be investigated to exclude a serious cause. The overall incidence is approximately 5 per cent of tracheostomies performed in Adult Intensive Care Units (AICU). When bleeding commences more than 72 hours post-operatively, the possibility of a trachea innominate artery fistula needs to be excluded by endoscopic examination of the trachea in an operating theatre environment, with the facility to proceed to exploration of the neck and possibly to sternotomy to enable ligation of the innominate artery. With appropriate recognition, diagnosis, resuscitation and surgical intervention, the associated high death rate of trachea innominate artery fistula can be reduced.

Endovascular Repair of a Tracheoinnominate Fistula with a Stent Graft

Massive bleeding from a tracheostomy developed in a 65-year-old woman with stroke after successful conservative management of a minor tracheostomy bleeding episode. Temporary hemostasis was achieved, and angiography showed a tracheoinnominate fistula (TIF), a rare complication of tracheostomy. Open surgery was contraindicated in this patient, so endovascular repair using a stent graft was performed. Permanent hemostasis was obtained, and there were no immediate complications from the procedure. The patient never recovered from her stroke and died 2 weeks later. The endovascular approach may be a feasible alternative to surgical repair of TIF, especially in patients unable to tolerate an open procedure.

[Massive bleeding from tracheoarterial fistula in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient treated with long-term invasive ventilation: an autopsy case report]

We report a 43-year-old woman with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS) who died of massive bleeding from a tracheoarterial fistula. Four years after the onset of the disease, she received invasive ventilation by tracheostomy because of respiratory failure. Four years and 7 months later, she showed an abrupt hemorrhage from the tracheostomy and died. The postmortem examination revealed a fistulous tract between the tracheal mucosal ulcer and the brachiocephalic trunk. The ulcer was in close proximity to the tracheostomy tube. In order to avoid such unexpected complications, we should observe the contact site between the tracheal mucosa and the tracheal tube in chronic tracheostomy patients.

Exsanguinating tracheoinnominate artery fistula repaired with endovascular stent-graft

BACKGROUND

Tracheoinnominate artery fistula is a relatively rare but life-threatening complication of tracheostomy. Peristomal bleed or hemoptysis may be massive and usually fatal if treatment is not instituted immediately.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We report the case of a 40-year-old woman who sustained surgical evacuation of a brainstem cavernoma and developed a massive hemoptysis 13 days after a percutaneous tracheostomy. Because of the patient's poor clinical condition, endovascular repair of the arterial injury was decided. The innominate artery was successfully repaired by means of urgent stent-graft placement.

CONCLUSIONS

We believe that, if technically feasible, stent-graft placement can be a valuable therapeutic alternative for this dramatic condition. Physicians in charge of tracheostomized patients and neurointerventionalists should be familiar with this management strategy.

The emergency use of endografts in the carotid circulation to control hemorrhage in potentially contaminated fields

We report our experience with the use of endoluminal grafts to control emergency bleeding in two patients with tracheoinnominate fistulas and three patients with carotid blowouts. Systemic infectious complications were not seen. However, rebleeding occurred in one patient, and extensive stent coverage to control bleeding was required in a second. Survival was usually limited by the patient's cancer. There was one long-term survivor without cancer whose tracheostomy was placed for neurologic compromise. A review of the literature for similar cases identified 18 additional endografts placed for carotid blowout and 3 placed for tracheoinnominate fistulas. Overall, infectious complications occurred in only two patients, whereas rebleeding occurred in eight patients. On the basis of these findings, we believe that endografts are useful to control emergency hemorrhage in these two pathologies because treatment is usually palliative, given the poor survival secondary to the underlying disease. However, more extensive graft coverage may be necessary considering the erosive nature of these processes.