A Case of Tracheoesophageal Fistula Following Blunt Cervical Trauma

Keiichi Hori, Katsuaki Funabashi, Naoki Sumita, Kazuaki Matsumoto, Katsuhiko Tanabe, Tadao Manabe*

Department of Surgery, Nagoya Port and Harbar Welfare Association Rinko Hospital
*First Department of Surgery, Nagoya City University Medical School

We experienced a case of tracheoesophageal fistula following blunt cervical trauma. A 57-year-old man was hit directly by falling cargo at work. His left temple, face and neck were injured. Confusion, dyspnea and hemoptysis occurred, but hemoptysis was immediately decreased by insertion of a tracheal tube. The tracheal tube was removed on day 5 after admission, then swallow-cough occurred. CT and esophagography revealed a tracheoesophageal fistula. An operation was carried out 11 months after the injury. The fistula was located in the 4th-6th cartilagines tracheales and it's major axis was 1.3 cm. The fistula was divided, the trachea was closed with a single layer of 4-0 PDS II, and the esophagus was closed in two layers with 3-0 vicryl sutures. Though a muscle was not interposed between the trachea abd the esophagus, recanalization had not been seen up to now.

Key words
tracheoesophageal fistula, blunt trauma, cervical trauma

Reprint requests
Keiichi Hori Department of Surgery, Chitakosei Hospital
81-6 Nishitani, Kouwa, Mihama-cho, Chita-gun, Aichi, 470-2404 JAPAN

Accepted
December 3, 1997

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