Case Report
Copyright ©2007 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 21, 2007; 13(27): 3776-3777
Published online Jul 21, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i27.3776
Congenital bronchoesophageal fistula in an adult: A case report
Lei Su, Xiu-Qin Wei, Xiu-Yi Zhi, Qing-Sheng Xu, Ting Ma
Lei Su, Xiu-Yi Zhi, Qing-Sheng Xu, Ting Ma, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xuan Wu Hospital of Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
Xiu-Qin Wei, Digestive Disease Center, Xuan Wu Hospital of Capital University of Medical Science, Beijing 100053, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Lei Su, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xuan Wu Hospital of Capital University of Medical Science, No.45, Changchun Street, Beijing 100053, China. drsulei@yahoo.com.cn
Telephone: +86-10-83198646 Fax: +86-10-63027064
Received: March 10, 2007
Revised: March 23, 2007
Accepted: March 31, 2007
Published online: July 21, 2007
Abstract

Bronchoesophageal fistulas are usually diagnosed in the neonatal period. As such, the condition is rare in adults. We present a case of a congenital bronchoesophageal fistula in a 62-year-old man with the complaint of severe bouts of cough and choking after swallowing liquid. His workup included a barium esophagogram that revealed a fistula between the esophagus and a right lower lobe bronchus. The diagnosis should be considered in certain individuals with suggestive symptomatology and unexplained respiratory pathology. The fistula was divided and resected, The patient had an uneventful recovery.

Keywords: Bronchoesophageal fistula, Congenital, Diagnosis, Treatment