IntroductionAorto-oesophageal fistula is a rare but life threatening cause of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Severity of presentation and complexity of subsequent management depends on the size of the defect on both the aortic side and oesophagus.ReportThe patient was a 67 year old Chinese man, who presented initially with a Stanford type A dissection with caudal extension to the right common iliac artery. The patient underwent replacement of the ascending aorta and proximal arch with debranching of the right innominate artery and aortic valve replacement. A follow up computed tomography (CT) aortogram done in the post-operative period showed a stable appearance of the caudal extension of the aortic dissection. The patient was discharged with a plan for future stenting of the thoracic aorta. Three weeks later the patient re-presented with an upper gastrointestinal bleed from an aorto-oesophageal fistula. The patient underwent endovascular stenting of the descending aorta for management of the fistula. Repeat oesophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a small erosion 35 cm from the incisors where the previous bleeding site had been. No further bleeding was seen.DiscussionThe patient recovered uneventfully after the procedure. Follow up CT aortogram done at 6 weeks demonstrated thrombosis of the false lumen of the descending thoracic aorta. Aorto-oesophageal fistula related to chronic type B aortic dissection is an extremely rare clinical entity and presents a challenge to the treating surgeon. This case demonstrates that selected cases can be judiciously managed by thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair alone.

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Introduction Although the technique of minimally invasive video assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT) is well established in continental Europe, data on it's role in Asian patients is limited. We compared the results of MIVAT with conventional open hemithyroidectomy in Asian patients. Materials and methods Over a 1-year period, patients undergoing hemithyroidectomy for benign symptomatic goiters were selected. Inclusion criteria for MIVAT were benign colloid goiters, recurrent cysts or follicular lesions and neoplasms with lobe volume of less than 40 cc or nodule diameter less than 35 mm. Larger goiters underwent conventional open surgery. Patients with previous neck surgery and proven malignancy were excluded. Operative time, complications, postoperative pain score, incision length and cosmetic satisfaction at 6 months were recorded. Results Thirty-six patients (MIVAT-21, Conventional-15) were included. Both groups were comparable in terms of demographic profile and co-morbidities. The mean operating time for both groups showed no significant difference (MIVAT = 111.67 ± 19.4 min, Conventional = 112.40 ± 25.06 min; p = 0.925). Minimally invasive video assisted thyroidectomy patients had significantly less pain in the immediate postoperative period (mean pain score 2.38 vs 4.8, p < 0.001). Mean incision length at end of surgery was significantly smaller in the MIVAT group (2.58 vs 6.3 cm; p < 0.001). Neck scar satisfaction at 6 months was excellent in 71.4% of MIVAT cases vs 26.6% of conventional hemithyroidectomy cases. There were no complications in any of the treatment groups. Conclusion In selected cases, MIVAT is as safe as conventional open surgery with distinct advantages of better postoperative pain control and cosmesis. How to cite this article Rao AD, Singaporewalla RM, Majumder A. Minimally Invasive Video-assisted Thyroidectomy vs Conventional Open Hemithyroidectomy in Asian Patients. World J Endoc Surg 2016;8(3):189-192.