Benign bronchoesophageal fistulas

Bronchoesophageal fistula: An unusual manifestation of lung cancer

“…Reported nonmalignant causes include blunt and penetrating traumas, endoscopic interventions like dilatation and sclerotherapy, esophageal penetration injuries with foreign bodies (stab or gunshot wounds, broncholiths), caustic ingestion, vasculitis, and esophageal diverticulum [ [1] , [2] , [3] , [4] , [5] ]. Infectious causes like tuberculosis, histoplasmosis, candidiasis, mucormycosis, syphilis, and lung abscesses have been reported to cause BEF [ [1] , [2] , [3] , [4] , [5] ]. Endotracheal or tracheostomy tubes have been reported to cause TEF but not BEF due to obvious reasons.…”

An unusual case of double tuberculous broncho‐oesophageal fistulas in an adult

“…A small fistula may present with only minimal respiratory symptoms. Patients with BEF often present with persistent cough; 65% have paroxysmal cough after ingestion of liquids (Ono's sign) which was reported to be pathognomic for this condition 2 . Solid food is usually well tolerated unless the fistula is large.…”

“…Surgical intervention of BEF usually consists of excision of the fistula with closure of the oesophageal and bronchial defects and the interposition of pleural or muscular flap 2 . Any adjacent mediastinal lymph nodes and necrotic tissues should be removed.…”

“…The majority of acquired BEF in adults occur as a result of malignant disease of the oesophagus, bronchus, thyroid, or mediastinum. The remaining fistulas occur secondary to non‐malignant causes such as infection or trauma 2 . Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the most common organism causing inflammatory fistulas, both in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐positive and HIV‐negative patients 3 .…”

Thoracoscopic treatment of a broncho-esophageal fistula: A case report

“…There are four types of BEF as classified by Braimbridge and Keith [10] . Type 2 is the most common (almost 90%), and is due to having a short tract running directly from the esophagus to the bronchus.…”