[Traumatic aorto-caval fistula (author's transl)].

A 33-year-old man sustained a thoracoabdominal bullet injury discovered on exploration to have tears in the liver and perforation in the stomach. Two months later admitted for bilateral serosanguinous pleural effusion, hypertension, heart failure and continuous murmur heard at the right hypochondrium. Aortogram showed aorto-caval fistula at the site of the injured right renal artery and a non-functioning right kidney. Successful external obliteration technique of the fistula had to be performed because of the heavy adhesions encountered, together with right sided nephrectomy. Two other alternative methods of treatment were suggested namely the application of profound hypothermia and circulatory arrest or the use of the aortic compressors and open fistulectomy.