[A Case of Advanced Esophageal Cancer with Esophago-Bronchial Fistula Closed by Pembrolizumab plus Chemotherapy Therapy].

We report a case of unresectable advanced esophageal cancer with an esophageal fistula that was treated with pembrolizumab plus CDDP plus 5-FU therapy and the fistula was closed. A 73-year-old male was diagnosed with cervical-upper thoracic esophageal cancer and esophago-bronchial fistula on CT and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. He underwent chemotherapy containing pembrolizumab. The fistula was closed after 4 cycles and oral intake became possible. Six months have passed since the first visit and chemotherapy is ongoing. The prognosis of esophago-bronchial fistula is extremely poor, and there is no established treatment, including fistula closure. Chemotherapy containing immune checkpoint inhibitors could considered to be expected not only for local control but also for long-term survival.

Treatment of a broncho-esophageal fistula complicated by severe ARDS.

INTRODUCTION: Broncho-esophageal fistula formation is a rare complication of tuberculosis, most often seen in immunocompromised patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this paper, we report the case of a young non-immunocompromised refugee from Somalia diagnosed with open pulmonary tuberculosis complicated by extensive osseous involvement and a broncho-esophageal fistula with consecutive aspiration of gastric contents. The patient rapidly developed a severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy for nearly 2 months. The fistula was initially treated by standard antituberculous combination therapy and implantation of an esophageal and a bronchial stent. Long-term antibiotic treatment was instituted for pneumonia and mediastinitis. 7 months later, discontinuity resection of the esophagus was performed and the bronchial fistula covered by an intercostal muscle flap. DISCUSSION: This case illustrates that tuberculosis should always be suspected in patients from high-incidence countries in case of lung involvement and that an interdisciplinary approach including long-term intensive care management can enable successful treatment of tuberculosis with severe, near-fatal complications.

Thermoresponsive Gel Embedded with Adipose Stem-Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Promotes Esophageal Fistula Healing in a Thermo-Actuated Delivery Strategy.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly envisioned as the next generation of biological pro-regenerative nanotherapeutic agents, as has already been demonstrated for heart, kidney, liver, and brain tissues; lung injury repair; and skin regeneration. Herein, we explore another potential EV therapeutic application, fistula healing, together with a local minimally invasive delivery strategy. Allogenic extracellular vesicles (EVs) from adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ASCs) are administered in a porcine fistula model through a thermoresponsive Pluronic F-127 (PF-127) gel, injected locally at 4 °C and gelling at body temperature to retain EVs in the entire fistula tract. Complete fistula healing is reported to be 100% for the gel plus EVs group, 67% for the gel group, and 0% for the control, supporting the therapeutic use of Pluronic F-127 gel alone or combined with EVs. However, only the combination of gel and EVs results in a statistically significant (i) reduction of fibrosis, (ii) decline of inflammatory response, (iii) decrease in the density of myofibroblasts, and (iv) increase of angiogenesis. Overall, we demonstrate that ASC-EV delivery into a PF-127 gel represents a successful local minimally invasive strategy to induce a therapeutic effect in a swine fistula model. Our study presents prospects for EV administration strategies and for the management of post-operative fistulas.

Tubercular esophagocutaneous fistula: Rare case report.

Tubercular esophagocutaneous fistula is a rare entity with only about five cases reported so far. It can be as a result of primary involvement of esophagus by tuberculosis or due to spread of infection from adjacent structures like lungs or mediastinal lymph nodes. The fistula usually heals with initiation of antitubercular therapy and surgery is rarely required. Here we report a case of 65-year-old diabetic male who developed esophagocutaneous fistula secondary to caseation of mediastinal lymph nodes and was successfully treated with antitubercular treatment.

Silicotuberculosis with oesophagobronchial fistulas and broncholithiasis: a case report.

A 76-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital four times from November 2007 to June 2009. In this complex case, the patient had silicosis complicated by broncholithiasis, oesophagobronchial fistulas, and relapsed tuberculosis. She had worked as a stone crusher for 3 years and was exposed to a large amount of quartz dust. Barium oesophagography, gastroesophageal endoscopy, and biopsy suggested oesophageal-related chronic inflammation and ulceration, which may have caused the repeated oesophagobronchial fistulas. Bronchoscopy revealed a free broncholithiasis in the left mainstem bronchus. The patient was admitted a fourth time because of silicotuberculosis relapse. After 9 months of antituberculosis treatment, the patient recovered and was still clinically well at the time of this writing.

Silicotuberculosis with Esophagobronchial Fistula and Broncholithiasis.

A 69-year-old woman was admitted to hospital 4 times from November 2007 to June 2009. The patient had silicosis complicated by broncholithiasis, esophagobronchial fistula, and relapsed tuberculosis. She had worked as a stone crusher for 3 years and was exposed to a large amount of quartz dust. Barium esophagography, gastroesophageal endoscopy, and biopsy suggested esophageal-related chronic inflammation and ulcer, which probably caused the repeated esophagobronchial fistulas observed. Bronchoscopy revealed a free broncholithiasis in the left main bronchus. The patient was readmitted a fourth time, for the relapse of silicotuberculosis. After 9 months of antituberculous therapy, she was doing well until the recent last follow-up visit.

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.

Esophageal perforation due to inadvertent swallowing of a dental prosthesis.

Intentional or inadvertent swallowing of foreign bodies can lead to severe complications in the gastrointestinal tract, primarily in the esophagus, and requires an urgent approach. In children, coins are the most commonly seen foreign bodies in the esophagus. However, in adults, the solid components of meals, like bones, and in the elderly population dental prostheses are the most frequently observed ingested foreign bodies. Even though a swallowed dental prosthesis is usually seen as a geriatric problem, esophageal obstruction and/or perforation can occur in any denture user in any age group. Thus, the aim of this report was to present one of these interesting cases of esophageal perforation due to a partial denture ingestion and its treatment in a 32-year-old male.

The effect of cyanoacrylate in esophagocutaneous leakages occurring after esophageal anastomosis.

OBJECTIVE: Esophageal leakage (EL) continues to be a challenging pediatric surgical problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cyanoacrylate (Cy) in EL followed esophageal repair (ER). METHODS: Twelve rabbits were divided into control (C) and leakage (L) groups. A 1cm-length transverse esophageal incision at the level of the cervical region was made. In both groups, feeding was started orally 24h after the surgery for leakage creation. On postoperative day 7, primary repair was carried out in the C group and Cy instillation was performed in the L group. Esophagographic analysis was carried out on postoperative day 9 and the animals were fed orally on the same day on the condition that there was no esophageal leakage. The rabbits were sacrificed to measure diameters of the OR line, bursting pressure (BP), and hydroxyproline (HP) levels in the repaired cervical esophageal segment (RCES) 2 months later. RESULTS: The values of BP and HP in the C group were significantly higher than those in the L group. The diameters of the OR line in the L group were significantly greater compared to those in the C group. CONCLUSIONS: Cy glue instillation seems to be the ideal treatment for esophageal anastomosis leakages as shown by increased diameters of the OR line and decreased HP levels.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer with malignant fistula.

BACKGROUND: We reviewed clinical results of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in the treatment of patients with advanced esophageal cancer with fistulae that developed before or during CRT. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The study group included 16 patients with fistulous esophageal cancer treated by means of CRT between 1999 and 2006. Nine patients had fistulae before CRT, whereas 7 developed fistulae during CRT. The group included 12 men and four women with a median age of 55 years (range, 37-77 years). There were 9 patients with Stage III disease and 7 with Stage IV disease. All tumors were squamous cell carcinomas. Two courses of concurrent chemotherapy were combined with radiation therapy; 60 Gy/30 fractions/7 weeks (1-week split). For 15 patients, low-dose protracted chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (250-300 mg/m(2) x 14 days) and cisplatin (7 mg/m(2) x 10 days) was administered, whereas full-dose cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil were administered to the remaining patient. RESULTS: The planned dose of 60 Gy was delivered to 11 patients (69%), whereas radiation therapy was terminated early in 5 patients (40-58 Gy) because of acute toxicities, including two treatment-related deaths. Disappearance of fistulae was noted during or after CRT in 7 patients (44%). All three esophagomediastinal fistulae were closed, but only four of 13 esophagorespiratory fistulae were closed by CRT. For patients with Stage III, 1- and 2-year survival rates were 33% and 22%, respectively. Median survival time was 8.5 months. CONCLUSION: Despite significant toxicity, concurrent CRT appears effective at closing esophageal malignant fistulae.

Successful one-stage operation of aortoesophageal fistula from thoracic aneurysm using a rifampicin-soaked synthetic graft.

Aortoesophageal fistula secondary to thoracic aneurysm is rare, but is usually lethal, and few survivors have been reported. We report successful surgery for aortoesophageal fistula in a one-stage operation. Repair involved in situ replacement of the thoracic aneurysm using a rifampicin-soaked graft, primary repair of the esophagus, omental wrap and tube jejunostomy. This is the original report of the surgical repair of aortoesophageal fistula using a rifampicin-soaked graft.

[Case of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis complicated with bronchoesophageal fistula].

A 71-year-old man visited the surgical department of our hospital due to back pain in November, 1999. Esophagogram showed bronchoesophageal fistula and a plain chest radiograph showed a nodular shadow in the left upper area with left pleural effusion. As the symptom disappeared on treatment with an antimicrobial agent, he was followed up as an outpatient. In August, 2001, he presented to the Respiratory Department of our hospital with low-grade fever and productive cough. Since tubercle bacilli were detected in a sputum culture, combined treatment with antituberculous chemotherapy was started. But, none of the symptoms were improved. These bacilli were identified as being multi-drug-resistant. After the chemotherapy regimen was changed, the symptoms disappeared and the esophagorespiratory fistula was closed. We report a rare case of esophagorespiratory fistula with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, which was improved by chemotherapy.

Carcinoma arising in the pleural cavity following pneumonectomy for hydatid disease.

We report a case of carcinoma following 42 years of chronic empyema in a patient who underwent surgery for a hydatid cyst at the age of 3. At the time of diagnosis, an esophageal fistula was observed and treated with cyanoacrylate. We hypothesize that chronic inflammation of the pleura, caused by decades of empyema, associated with the presence of heterotopic squamous epithelium due to a long-standing esophago-pleural fistula, led to neoplastic transformation.