Endovascular management of tracheo-innominate artery fistula: a case report and literature review

Tracheo-innominate artery fistula (TIF) is a rare complication of tracheostomy, with incidence ranging from 0.1 to 1%, but mortality is high in untreated cases. Early signs range from self-limited bleeding to massive hemorrhage with hypovolemic shock. The caliber of the tracheostomy cannula, its position in contact with the tracheal wall, and tracheal cuff pressure can traumatize the mucosa and trigger development of a TIF. We describe the case of a 14-year-old female patient who had been tracheostomized at the age of eight because of head trauma. She later developed subglottic stenosis requiring dilation sessions for six years. During the fifth year of these sessions, she presented repetitive hemoptysis, initially treated by surgery to implant an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft. One year later, she had an intense hemorrhage, which was controlled using endovascular techniques followed by definitive surgery, performed electively. The patient was followed up for six months, without complications.