A Case of Bronchoesophageal Fistula Mimicking Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Oh, Dong Wook; Ra, Seung Won; Lee, Kwang Ha; Park, Tae Sun; Kim, Sun Young; Na, Soo Young; Kim, Won Dong

doi:2008.64.4.303

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 64(4); 2008 > Article

Case Report

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2008;64(4):303-308.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2008.64.4.303 Published online April 1, 2008.

A Case of Bronchoesophageal Fistula Mimicking Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Dong Wook Oh, Seung Won Ra, Kwang Ha Lee, Tae Sun Park, Sun Young Kim, Soo Young Na, Won Dong Kim

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. wdkim@amc.seoul.kr

Abstract

Benign bronchoesophageal fistula is a rare disease and it may be characterized by nonspecific symptoms that can cause a delayed diagnosis. We misdiagnosed a patient with recurrent aspiration, which was due to bronchoesophageal fistula, as active pulmonary tuberculosis. The patient was 44 year old female who had suffered from chronic cough, especially during eating liquid meals, since 1982 when she had been treated for tuberculous lymphadenitis. Computed tomography showed an irregular mass with surrounding centrilobular nodules in the superior segment of the right lower lobe (RLL). She was diagnosed as having active pulmonary tuberculosis and treated with anti-tuberculosis medication, but she continued to complain of persistent cough even after anti-tuberculosis treatment. Thus, we reexamined the patient, and bronchoesophageal fistula between the esophagus and the superior segment of the RLL was finally confirmed by esophagography. After the fistula was surgically treated, the patient became asymptomatic and she then experienced good health.

Key Words: Chronic cough, Recurrent aspiration, Bronchoesophageal fistula, Tuberculosis, Tuberculous lymphadenitis, Fibrin Glue, Hemoclip