title: Tracheo-esophageal fistula: combined surgical and endoscopic approach.
abstract: We present a case of benign acquired tracheo-esophageal fistula caused by cuffed tracheal tube. The patient was septic and weaning from the mechanical ventilation was unlikely, so immediate repair of the tracheal and esophageal lesions was imperative. A silicone endoprosthesis was inserted in the tracheal lumen and the esophageal lesion was repaired with direct suture. After weaning from mechanical ventilation and recovery, the patient was discharged with a silicone tracheal stent. Three months later the stent was removed without complications or need for further treatment. This combined approach as never been published before, and can be a very useful alternative for the treatment of this rare but taxing complication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hospital de Santa Maria, Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, Portugal. freire20@sapo.pt
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Feijó
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Castelo
mesh_terms: D001999:Bronchoscopy; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D012828:Silicones; D015607:Stents; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery*; D014138:Tracheoesophageal Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015300:Ventilator Weaning
chemical_list: D012828:Silicones