Tuberculous esophagitis with erosion into aortic aneurysm.
An 87-year-old woman with a known atherosclerotic thoracic aneurysm died suddenly from a massive esophageal hemorrhage. Prior to death, tuberculous esophagitis was diagnosed by biopsy. At autopsy, a fistulous tract was found extending from the esophagus to the aortic aneurysm; this fistula proved to be the site of fatal hemorrhage. The tract was surrounded by a granulomatous inflammatory reaction, in which acid-fast bacilli were found. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of tuberculous esophagitis extending to an aortic aneurysm resulting in hemorrhage and death.
D000368:Aged; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000209:etiology*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology