Abstract
Tracheoesophageal fistula is an abnormal communication between trachea and esophagus. Benign acquired types are rare with the incidence of less than 1%. Prolonged endotracheal intubation remains the most common cause. We are reporting a 28 years old female patient presented with chief complaint of a cough after each meal intake in the outpatient clinic. She had a recent history of admission in the intensive care unit with prolonged intubation (11 days). Her general physical examination, laboratory examination, and chest x-ray were normal. Esophagogastroscopy was performed and revealed communication between upper esophagus and trachea approximately at 14-17cm embedded in longitudinal mucosal folds of the esophagus. She was referred to the higher center for surgical repair. Though, a rare complication, high suspicion is necessary to accurately diagnose the disease in a patient with the history of prolonged intubation. Keywords: case report; endotracheal intubation; mechanical ventilation; tracheoesophageal fistula.
Highlights
Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is an abnormal connection between trachea and esophagus
We performed esophagogastroscopy, which revealed abnormal communication on upper esophagus with trachea (TEF) approximately at 1417cm from upper incisor teeth, which was partially visualized at the beginning and hidden in collapsible longitudinal mucosal folds (Figure 1); further full air insufflations demonstrated an approximate length of 3 cm tracheoesophageal fistula (Figure 2 and Figure 3)
In case of high suspicions, bronchoscopy is the gold standard as it identifies the site of TEF in relation with anatomic location, size of fistula, length of the segment
Summary
Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is an abnormal connection between trachea and esophagus. Acquired benign TEF is an uncommon complication; endotracheal intubation remains the most common cause with the incidence of
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
