Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2003;23:638
© 2003 Elsevier Science NL
Images in cardio-thoracic surgery |
Cardiocutaneus fistula
Alessandro Ricchia,
Gildo Mattab,
Michele Triganoc,
Emiliano Maria Cirioa*
a Cardiac Surgery Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera G. Brotzu, Cagliari, Italy
b Radiology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera G. Brotzu, Cagliari, Italy
c Insitute of Surgical Pathology, Università di Sassari, Sassari, Italy
Received 15 August 2002;
received in revised form 23 December 2002;
accepted 29 December 2002.
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +39-010-7053-9520; fax: +39-010-7054-1388
e-mail: e.cirio{at}tiscalinet.it
Key Words: Breast • Carcinoma • Fistula • Endoventricular patch
In September 2001 a 68 year-old-woman, who had in 1990 a quadrantectomy plus radiotherapy for left breast carcinoma which progressively destroyed mammarian region, was referred to our institution because severe bleeding from cardiocutaneus fistula (Fig. 1
).
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Fig. 1. Pre-operative CT scan shows free communication between left ventricular apex and subcutaneus tissue (cardiocutaneus fistula).
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We repaired it during extracorporeal circulation with an endoventricular patch in the apex and bovine pericardium in the chest wall (Fig. 2 ). The patient made an uneventful recovery.
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Fig. 2. Post-operative CT scan shows result of surgical treatment of the fistula and the remaining defect of the thoracic wall which was successively repaired from plastic surgeon.
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