ABSTRACT
Congenital bronchoesophageal fistula associated esophageal atresia usually presents in the newborn period or infancy but those without esophageal atresia are more insidious in disease process. Symptoms which include cough, hemoptysis, choking on swallowing liquids, uncommonly dysphagia, and epigastric discomfort may not begin until adult life. Most of the cases are curative unless there are serious underlying conditions. The diagnosis is usually made by gastroesophagoscopy, esophagogram, bronchogram and bronchoscopy. And the most of the cases can be cured by fistulectomy and resection of involved pulmonary lobes. We experienced one case of congenital bronchoesophageal fistula which occurred in a 13- year-old girl who complained of paroxysmal cough and intermittent hematemesis for 3 years.
Subject(s)
Adult , Child , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Airway Obstruction , Bronchoscopy , Cough , Deglutition , Deglutition Disorders , Diagnosis , Esophageal Atresia , Fistula , Hematemesis , HemoptysisABSTRACT
Congenital bronchoesophageal fistula is a rare clinical entity in adults. This anomaly may cause various symptoms such as respiratory infections, coughing bouts when eating or drinking, and even hemoptysis. The fistula can cause symptoms in childhood but may not appear until adulthood. We recently experienced a case of congenital bronchoesophageal fistula associated with esophageal diverticulum in an adult. A 63-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital due to chest discomfort, sore throat and coughing bouts when eating. An empyema with lung abscess had occurred eight years previously. Results of the physical examination were unremarkable. A Barium swallowing revealed a medium-sized diverticulum at the right anterior aspect of the esophagus, which had developed a fistulous connection with the right lower lobe bronchus. The patient was treated by fistulectomy and lobectomy of the right lower lobe. The postoperative course was smooth and uneventful.