Oesophago-vascular fistulae secondary to benign peptic ulcer disease: A rare cause of fatal haemorrhage

Abstract

Oesophago-vascular fistulas are a very rare cause of massive upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. The syndrome of sentinel haemorrhage, retrosternal pain and massive subsequent haemorrhage described by Chiari ~ is not always present and even though these fistulas are often associated with the presence of an aortic aneurysm or malignancy, this is not always the case. We present two cases of fatal haematemesis from an oesophago-vascular fistula secondary to benign peptic ulcer diseas4.