A case of video-assisted thoracic surgery for congenital esophago-bronchial fistula

Abstract

A 54-year-old woman was admitted due to dyspnea, hemosputum and cough when drinking carbonated water. She had had frequent episodes of hemosputum and hemoptysis from age 40, and had been diagnosed with esophagobronchial fistula. After bronchial embolization with fibrin glue 12 years ago, hemosputum and hemoptysis disappeared but hemosputum relapsed in 2000. Resection of the fistula by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was performed. There was no evidence of adhesion around the fistula in operative findings. Microscopic findings of the resected material revealed a squamous epithelium with an underlying muscle layer in the wall and no evidence of inflammatory changes or fibrosis. This case was therefore diagnosed as Braimbridge I type esophagobronchial fistula. VATS is the first choice of treatment for patients with Braimbridge I and II type esophagobronchial fistula.