title: Gastro pleural fistula: a rare entity presenting as a complication of empyema thoracis following stab injury to the chest.
abstract: Gastro pleural fistula is an infrequently seen lesion. Here, a case of stab injury to the chest that led to the formation of a gastro pleural fistula has been presented. An intercostal drainage (ICD) tube was inserted after haemothorax was identified on this chest X-ray. The patient noticed the presence of ingested food particles at the site of ICD tube twelve days following the stab injury. The diagnosis of gastro pleural fistula was subsequently confirmed after a contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of the chest and abdomen. Intraoperatively, a defect in the left hemi diaphragm with a fistulous tract between stomach and the left pleural cavity was identified. Closure of the gastric fundal perforation, excision of the fistulous tract and repair of the diaphragmatic defect was done.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate student, Department of General Surgery, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute , Bangalore, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Prashanth Basappa
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Chowdary
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of General Surgery, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute , Bangalore, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Shivaswamy Badanaval
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Sadashivaiah
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of General Surgery, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute , Bangalore, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Rajashekhar Babu
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gangappa
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute , Bangalore, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Santhosh Chikkanayakanahalli
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Shivashankar
keywords: Gastric fundal perforation; Hemidiaphragm; Intercostal drainage; Pleural cavity