title: Fatal esophageal perforation caused by invasive candidiasis.
abstract: Instrumental lesions, spontaneous rupture, and trauma cause most esophageal perforations. Transmural fungal infection is extremely rare, although Candida may be detected in as many as 25% of normal esophagus. In this report we present a case of fatal esophageal perforation due to transmural Candida infection in a 76-year-old woman. The patient died from septic shock and multiorgan failure, despite esophageal resection and systemic antifungal therapy. Pathogenetic aspects and treatment strategies are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, and Pathology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gock
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: Aurel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perren
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Demartines
authors.forename: Pierre-Alain
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Clavien
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004947:Esophagus / Q000382:microbiology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans