Congenital Esophagobronchial Fistula in the Adult

Summary

Three adult patients with congenital esophagobronchial fistula, treated between 1967 and 1984 at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, are presented.

Correct preoperative diagnosis is very difficult and was not made for several years in our cases. Unexplained recurrence of pulmonary infection was the common feature in the patients' histories, and repeated esophagograms were helpful in diagnosing this rare congenital abnormality, which was fatal in one of our cases. The treatment should always be surgical.

Key words

Esophagobronchial fistula