What is Aorta-pulmonary artery fistula?
• Aorta-pulmonary artery fistula: An abnormal opening or connection between the aorta and the main pulmonary artery. It can occur through a traumatic penetrating injury or may be a complication of surgery. Severe cases can lead to heart failure. Aorta-pulmonary artery fistula is listed as a “rare disease” by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Aorta-pulmonary artery fistula, or a subtype of Aorta-pulmonary artery fistula, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population. Source – National Institutes of Health (NIH) Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Aorta-pulmonary artery fistula as a “rare disease”.
