title: Esophagobronchial fistula combined with a peptic esophageal stenosis.
abstract: Peptic strictures are a rare complication of severe gastroesophageal reflux disease. An esophagobronchial fistula as a complication of a severe long-term reflux esophagitis with peptic stenosis is here described for the first time: A 43-year-old mentally disabled patient suffered from recurrent bronchopneumonia. Endoscopy revealed an esophagobronchial fistula originating in a peptic stricture. Under short-term fasting, intravenous feeding and application of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) closure of this fistula was achieved within 4 days. Subsequently, dilatation was carried out. The case demonstrates that pulmonary complications in patients with peptic esophageal strictures may not only be due to aspiration of refluxate but--rarely--also to fistulae between the esophagus and the bronchial tree.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Medicine II, Gastroenterology, Klinikum Buch, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Neubert
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koop
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D001983:Bronchial Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014456:Ulcer / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy