Esophageal lung misdiagnosed as tracheoesophageal fistula: A case report

An esophageal lung is a subtype of communicating bronchopulmonary foregut malformation (CBPFM) where the lung, often right side, communicates with the esophagus, which causes hypoplastic and consolidated diseased lung, and is usually diagnosed late in its clinical course. Clinical suspicion based on patient history, signs, and symptoms should lead to this opinion. A chest CT scan combined with esophagography is highly recommended for suspicious cases. Here, we describe the case of a 3-month-old female infant who was referred to our hospital because of respiratory distress. The diagnosis of the congenital esophageal lung was made following a chest CT scan and esophagography. This is a very rare case that is misdiagnosed as a tracheoesophageal fistula. CBPFMs are rare abnormalities caused by an abnormal connection between the respiratory tract and the gastroesophageal system. Early diagnosis and differentiation of these abnormalities from sequestration and tracheoesophageal fistula could improve the outcome.