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bronchoesophageal fistula
A fistula connecting a bronchus with the esophagus.
Etiology:
- mediastinal inflammatory disorders
- lung carcinoma: large-cell neuroendocrine lung carcinoma (case report) [2]
- foreign body ingestion
- congenital anomalies
Epidemiology: rare
Clinical manifestations:
- dyspnea, chest pain, cough
- paroxysms of cough after fluid intake (case report) [2]
- diminished breath sounds in the right lower lobe
Laboratory:
- SaO2 93% on room air (case report) [2]
Radiology:
- chest CT
- diffuse bilateral interstitial infiltrates
- lung lesion surrounding the middle third of the esophagus (case report) [2]
- barium swallow
- water-soluble contrast esophagography
- contrast passing from esophagus to right bronchial tree & ascending to the right main bronchus & trachea (case report with image) [2]
Management:
- surgery
- excision of the tract
- primary closure of the bronchus & esophagus
- interposition of vascularized tissue
- self-expanding metal stent placed in the esophagus (case report) [2]
Related
tracheoesophageal fistula/atresia
General
bronchial fistula
esophageal fistula
References
- Mangi AA et al
Benign broncho-esophageal fistula in the adult.
Ann Thorac Surg 2002 Jun;73(6):2038
PMID: 11899200
- di Mauro P, Ferrari V.
Images in Clinical Medicine: Bronchoesophageal Fistula
N Engl J Med 2020; 383:e137. Dec 17.
PMID: 33326718
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMicm2018535