title: Left atrio-esophageal fistula of a possibly iatrogenic aetiology.
abstract: The study presents an exceptionally rare case of an esophago-left atrial fistula, which was diagnosed during a forensic post-mortem examination. Due to complex nature of the disease and many attempts to cure the patient, the authors did not manage to identify the aetiology of the fistula. It was only implied that the fistula might have been a distant complication of intraoperative endocardial ablation or it might have appeared as a consequence of perforation of the esophageal wall or left atrial wall of the enlarged heart with the end of an intubation tube or nasogastric tube.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Poland. Electronic address: arkusz@op.pl.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arkuszewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barzdo
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiosurgery, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Stanisław
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ostrowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Medico-Legal and Insurance Certification, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Szram
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Jarosław
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berent
mesh_terms: D013504:Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000473:pathology*; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000473:pathology*; D005402:Fistula / Q000473:pathology*; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Fistula; Heart; Oesophagus; Perforation