Management of children with tuberculous broncho-esophageal fistulae.

INTRODUCTION: Broncho-esophageal fistula (BOF) is a rare complication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). TB-associated BOF presents either as acute respiratory failure, aspiration pneumonia or as a complication of surgical decompression of thoracic lymph nodes. METHODS: All children with TB- associated BOF were included. TB was diagnosed if MTB was cultured from respiratory secretions, Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) smear was positive, GeneXpert MTB/RIF was positive or a chest radiograph revealed radiographic features typical of TB. BOF was diagnosed by a contrast swallow study and/or flexible bronchoscopy. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan was performed, if required. RESULTS: Total of 20 children were diagnosed with TB-associated BOF between 1999 and 2019, with a 75% survival. A total of 85% BOF involved the left main bronchus. A total of 80% of patients were MTB culture or ZN smear-positive. Chest X-ray abnormalities included: extensive parenchymal disease (80%) and lymph gland enlargement (45%). CT features included visualization of the BOF (60%), esophageal air (73%) and pneumomediastinum (40%). BOF closure was achieved by surgical closure (46%), spontaneous closure (26%), fibrin glue (13%), and esophageal stent (13%). Multivariant regression analysis showed that C- reactive protein (CRP), albumin and CRP/albumin ratio were associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Most TB-associated BOF are left-sided. It presents either acutely, with respiratory failure, or with chronic respiratory symptoms of aspiration. Children requiring invasive ventilation have high mortality. Most TB-associated BOF requires surgical intervention, although the use of fibrin glue offers an attractive alternative option.

Esophageal Resection, Gastric Tube Reconstruction, and Omental Flap Coverage of Iatrogenic Aortoesophageal Fistula After Secondary Thoracic Stentgraft Infection: A Case Report.

Secondary stent graft infection is a life-threatening complication after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). There is no consensus on optimal treatment strategy, but combined antibiotic and surgical treatment is advocated. Two years after his TEVAR procedure, a 70-year-old patient was admitted to the hospital with a secondary periaortic abscess. At first, the abscess was managed with clindamycin and transesophageal drainage. The abscess would not dissipate, and an infected iatrogenic aortoesophageal fistula was formed, which was surgically treated with esophageal resection, gastric tube reconstruction, and omental flap coverage.

Right Subclavian Septic Pseudoaneurysm with Esophageal Fistula due to a Swallowed Fishbone.

Pseudoaneurysm due to a swallowed fishbone rarely involves subclavian arteries. A 46-year-old male with nonaberrant right subclavian artery (RSA) presented pseudoaneurysm and brachial plexus septic necrosis. Open surgery with sternotomy and right transverse supraclavicular cervicotomy was done in emergency to achieve revascularization using in situ cryopreserved arterial allograft. Infection severity led to septic allograft rupture that necessitated ligation without new arterial reconstruction. During follow-up, patient remained alive 8 months after surgery. Neurological deficit slowly regressed, and no upper arm ischemic sign appeared.

Aortobronchial and aortoenteric fistula.

Pathologic communication between the thoracic aorta and esophagus or tracheobronchial tree is a rare vascular condition and most commonly develops after open or endovascular aortic repair complicated by infection. Patients with aortoesophageal or tracheobronchial fistula often present with systemic infection and are at risk for major hemorrhage. Medical management is uniformly fatal. Expeditious definitive management requires operative repair by open repair or a combination of endovascular and open procedures. Appropriate antibiotic regimens are important for preventing graft reinfection.

HIV post-tuberculous broncho-oesophageal fistulas: A surgical solution.

We present a patient with HIV/AIDS with multiple tracheo-oesophageal fistulas probably due to previous tuberculosis. An Ivor-Lewis procedure was successfully undertaken following stringent pre-operative preparation. Surgical repair of persistent post-tuberculous tracheo-oesophageal fistulas may be safely undertaken in selected patients with HIV/ AIDS.

Aortoesophageal and aortobronchial fistula caused by Candida albicans after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Introduction: Endovascular stent-graft placement has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery for the treatment of aortic aneurysms and dissections. There are few reports of stent graft infections and aortoenteric fistula after endovascular thoracic aortic aneurysm repair, and the first multicentric study (Italian survey) showed the incidence of about 2%. Case report: We presented a 69-year-old male patient admitted to our hospital 9 months after thoracic endovascular aortic repair, due to severe chest pain in the left hemithorax and arm refractory to analgesic therapy. Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) showed a collection between the stent graft and the esophagus with thin layers of gas while gastroendoscopy showed visible blood jet 28 cm from incisive teeth. Surgical treatment was performed in collaboration of two teams (esophageal and vascular surgical team). After explantation of the stent graft and in situ reconstruction by using Dacron graft subsequent esophagectomy and graft omentoplasty were made. After almost four weeks patient developed hemoptisia as a sign of aorto bronchial fistula. Treatment with implantation of another aortic cuff of 26 mm was performed. The patient was discharged to the regional center with negative blood culture, normal inflammatory parameters and respiratory function. Three months later the patient suffered deterioration with the severe weight loss and pneumonia caused by Candida albicans and unfortunately died. The survival time from the surgical treatment of aortoesophageal fistula was 4 months Conclusion: Even if endovascular repair of thoracic aortic diseases improves early results, risk of infection should not be forgotten. Postoperative respiratory deterioration and finally hemoptisia could be the symptoms of another fistula.

Death by aortoesophageal fistula due to disseminated tuberculosis: a case study.

Tuberculosis remains a serious public health problem worldwide, especially in Korea. Although tuberculosis is generally considered a non-fatal chronic disease, deaths have occurred. In this case study, a 68-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with dyspepsia, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Nine hours later, he suffered severe hematemesis and died despite cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A medico-legal autopsy was performed and an external examination revealed no external injuries. However, an internal examination revealed an aortoesophageal fistula and a large amount of blood in the stomach. A histologic examination confirmed tuberculous mediastinitis with disseminated tuberculosis involving multiple organs, including the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen. Both an aortoesophageal fistula and sudden death due to tuberculosis infection are rare. This paper reports the case of a fatal aortoesophageal fistula associated with disseminated tuberculosis.

Infective etiology affects outcomes of late open conversion after failed endovascular aneurysm repair.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively review all patients undergoing late open conversion (LOC) after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) in order to identify any clinical or technical predictors of poor outcome. METHODS: Twenty-six consecutive patients (24 men; mean age 74.7 ± 8.3 years) underwent LOC between June 2006 and April 2013 at our institution. The mean interval from index EVAR to LOC was 40.4 ± 29.2 months (range 5-93 months). The indication for LOC was endoleak in 14 (54%) patients and infection in 12 (46%): 2 (8%) patients with endoleak had a ruptured aneurysm and 6 (23%) patients with infection had a recurrent secondary aortoesophageal fistula (sAEF). RESULTS: In all 12 cases of infection and in 12 of 14 endoleaks, the entire endograft was explanted. A rifampin-soaked Dacron silver graft was implanted in all patients with infection. Patients with any infection and with recurrent AEF required more blood units than patients with endoleak (6.40 vs. 1.86, p = 0.045; 6.76 vs. 1.86, p = 0.0036, respectively). Compared with endoleak, the duration of conversions in the setting of infection (274 vs. 316 minutes, p = 0.42) and recurrent sAEF (274 vs. 396 minutes, p = 0.021) was longer. All patients with recurrent sAEF died at a mean 3.0 ± 2.5 days after LOC from proximal anastomosis disruption and hemorrhagic shock (n = 2), myocardial infarction (n = 2), acute stroke (n = 1), or persistent sepsis (n = 1). Perioperative mortality was significantly higher in patients with endograft infection (6/12, p = 0.002) and in cases of supraceliac cross-clamping (4/6, p = 0.003). The association of infection with supraceliac cross-clamping was a strong predictor for perioperative mortality (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In our experience, endograft infection led to greater perioperative mortality after LOC. Recurrent aortoenteric fistula in association with supraceliac cross-clamping is a strong predictor of poor outcome. Patients surviving the perioperative period may have good chances of long-term survival.

Perforated tuberculosis lymphadenitis.

A 26-year-old man (human immunodeficiency virus-positive and not taking highly active antiretroviral treatment [HAART]) presented to the emergency room with 2 months of malaise, 20 kg weight loss, high spiking fevers, generalized lymph nodes, night sweats, dry cough, and chest pain when swallowing. On physical examination, he had multiple cervical lymphadenopathies. Suspecting a systemic opportunistic infection, a contrasted chest computed tomography (CT) was done, showing an esophageal to mediastinum fistulae. Two days after admission, a fluoroscopic contrasted endoscopy was done that showed two esophageal fistulae from scrofula to esophagus and then, to mediastinum. A bronchoalveolar lavage and a cervical lymphadenopathy biopsy were done, both showing multiple acid-fast bacillae, where cultures grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

An unique case of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) graft infection with Streptococcus viridans.

The incidence of infection following TEVAR is low. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of post thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with Streptococcus viridans graft infection. A 54-year-old male underwent TEVAR for dissecting thoracic aneurysm with spinal ischaemia. He had an eventful recovery with prolonged period of stay in intensive care unit. Three months later, he presented with persistent chest discomfort and fever. Computed tomography (CT) of the thorax revealed evidence of graft infection and the blood culture grew Streptococcus viridans. The rarity of TEVAR graft infection due to Streptococcus viridans and its management are being discussed.

Endovascular therapy for infected aortic aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcome of endovascular therapy for an infected aortic aneurysm in patients with or without aorto-aerodigestive/aortocaval fistulas. METHODS: From September 2005 to May 2010, 21 patients, 17 abdominal and four thoracic infected aortic aneurysms were treated with an endovascular stent graft at Songklanagarind Hospital, Thailand. Five patients presented with fistula complications, 1 aortoesophageal, 1 aortobronchial, 1 aortocaval, and 2 aortoenteric fistulas. Lifelong antibiotics were planned for all patients. In-hospital mortality and follow-up outcomes were examined. RESULTS: The average age was 66 years (range, 42-84) and 18 patients were male. All five cases in the fistulous group presented with symptoms related to the organs involved, four massive bleedings and one congestive heart failure. Symptoms of patients in the nonfistulous group were abdominal, back, or chest pain in 94%, fever in 81%, and diarrhea in 19%. Blood culture was positive in 10 patients (48%): eight Salmonella spp and two Burkholderia pseudomallei. The overall in-hospital mortality was 19% (4/21): 60% (3/5) in the fistula group and only 6% (1/16) in the nonfistula group. One conversion to open repair was performed in the fistula group 2 weeks after the endovascular procedure. During the follow-up period, one of the two survivors in the fistula group died at 18 months from unrelated causes, while there were no deaths in the 15 patients of the nonfistula group with an average patient follow-up of 22 months (range, 1-54). Periaortic inflammation and aneurysms in the nonfistula group completely disappeared in 10 of the 15 patients (67%). The aneurysm significantly shrunk in four patients (27%), and was stable at 1 month in one patient. There were no late conversions. CONCLUSION: Endovascular therapy, as a definite treatment for infected aortic aneurysms, provided excellent short- and medium-term results in patients without fistula complications. However, a poorer outcome was evident in patients with fistula complications.

Repair of aortoesophageal fistula after total aortic arch grafting.

This case report describes the repair of an aortoesophageal fistula caused by a previously placed aortic arch graft. A 62-year-old man underwent total aortic arch graft replacement one year ago. He was readmitted with hematemesis and a high fever. Examination by endoscopy revealed a perforation and two swollen lesions in the mid-esophagus. With the diagnosis of aortoesophageal fistula, the patient underwent esophagectomy, cervical esophagostomy, and gastrostomy with plans for esophageal continuity. Twenty days later, the patient had the graft replacement. Left thoracotomy was performed at the fourth intercostal space and the incision was extended to a sternal transection. The old aortic arch graft was replaced with a rifampicin-bonded gelatin-sealed Dacron graft. After successful esophageal reconstruction (a cervical esophagogastrostomy with the stomach in the substernal position), he fully recovered from surgery. Aortoesophageal fistula is rare and always fatal if surgical intervention is not attempted. When homografts are unavailable, an alternative therapeutic approach is in situ replacement with a rifampicin-bonded gelatin-sealed Dacron graft.

Tuberculous oesophagopleural fistula.

Hydropneumothorax complicating to oesophagopleural and broncho-oesophageal fistula is an unusual presentation and is reported in literature as separate clinical entities. Here we present a case of hydropneumothorax with both oesophagopleural and broncho-oesophageal fistula of tuberculous aetiology occurring simultaneously in the same patient. Oesophagopleural fistula was suspected clinically by colour of pleural fluid. Subsequent barium swallow demonstrated leak of contrast material from oesophagus into pleural cavity. Later on, computed tomography of chest with oral contrast confirmed communication of oesophagus with both right pleural cavity and right main bronchus. The fistulous connection between these structures appeared to be due to tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy as evident on CT thorax.

[Spontaneous esophago-pleural fistula secondary to candidiasis in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection. An infrequent complication of esophageal moniliasis]. / Fistula esófago-pleural espontanea secundaria a candidiasis en paciente con infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana. Una rara complicación de la moniliasis esofágica.

Several nosologic conditions may affect the esophagus and cause fistulas communicating this organ with the respiratory system. Rarely, infections cause perforation and further fistula to the bronchial tree, lungs or pleural space. We present the rare case of an HIV-infected patient with related spontaneous esophago-pleural fistula related to Candida infection.

Purulent spondylitis related to anastomotic fistula after esophageal cancer surgery.

A 73-year-old man underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by transhiatal esophagectomy with gastric tube reconstruction for advanced esophageal cancer with palliative intent. Cervical esophagogastrostomy with circular-stapled end-to-side anastomosis was performed; however, anastomotic fistula developed. Fever, severe pain in the nape of the neck and numbness of the left hand were noted after drainage by wide opening of cervicotomy and the administration of empiric antibiotics. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed high signal intensity between the inferior C5 vertebral body and the intervertebral disc on T2-weighted images, and some areas were contrast-enhanced, suggesting purulent spondylodiscitis. Because methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was detected by bacterial culture from the drained pus, sensitive antibiotics were given, and those symptoms improved rapidly without sequelae.

Management of thoracic endograft infection.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has emerged as a promising, less invasive alternative to conventional open surgery for the treatment of thoracic aortic pathology. Most surveillance after TEVAR concentrates on the technical aspects of the procedure, including endoleak, device migration and endograft rupture; so far, the knowledge on endograft infectious complications is limited to anecdotal reports. Several etiopathogenetic factors may play a role in thoracic endograft infections (TEIs), including perioperative contamination, hematogenous seeding, and local bacterial translocation. Moreover, fistulization with the esophagus or the bronchial tree is a common mechanism of secondary TEI, and it represents a dramatic event requiring a multidisciplinary management. Risk factors assessment and prevention have a key role in avoiding the development of new TEIs. When a TEI is established, treatment is demanding, and includes several medical therapies associated with various surgical options. Patients are usually severely compromised by sepsis, and in most cases they are considered unfit for surgery for general clinical conditions or local concerns. Thus, results of different therapeutic strategies for TEI are still burdened with very high morbidity and mortality. In this paper, we reviewed the English literature regarding the main strategies proposed for operative management of TEI, we reported and analyzed our personal series of 7 patients treated at our institution for TEI from 1999 to 2009, and we summarized results from the data collected during a recent Italian multicenter national survey, performed to investigate aortoesophageal and aortobronchial fistulae treated with TEVAR or developed following TEVAR.