Asymptomatic esophageal carcinoma with esophagopulmonary fistula masquerading as a primary lung abscess.
A 58-year-old man presented with the clinical signs and symptoms of a large right upper lobe lung abscess. His course was complicated by diffuse bilateral necrotizing pneumonitis, and death occurred as a result of massive aspiration of lung abscess contents into uninvolved lung. At postmortem examination, an esophageal carcinoma with a direct fistulous communication with the abscess cavity was present. Although rare, asymptomatic malignant esophageal disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a lung abscess which does not follow a typical course.
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005402:Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008169:Lung Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged