title: [Tracheoesophageal fistula].
abstract: Congenital deformities, various forms of trauma, foreign bodies, granulomatous infection and tumors are the most common causes of tracheoesophageal fistulas. This is a rare but life-threatening complication with mortality rates up to 60% due to chronic aspiration and innominate artery arrosion and bleeding. Bronchoscopy should be done promptly if a fistula is suspected, followed by esophagoscopy. Radiologic examinations are only helpful for operational planning. Surgical treatment is mandatory for benign fistulas with excellent short-term and long-term results. However, for malignant fistulas the survival time is often only weeks to months and are best treated by palliative stenting, which offers a short-term improvement in the quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Thoraxchirurgie und thorakale Endoskopie, Ruhrlandklinik, Westdeutsches Lungenzentrum am Universitätsklinikum Essen gGmbH, Deutschland. georgios.stamatis@ruhrlandklinik.uk-essen.de
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stamatis
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Freitag
mesh_terms: D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D012086:Reoperation; D015996:Survival Rate; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D014138:Tracheoesophageal Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*