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Broncho-esophageal fistula: When surgery and endoscopy fail, consider physiological lung exclusion
Dionísio Maia1, Julie Tronchetti2, Xavier D'Journo3
1Pulmonology Department, Hospital de Santa Marta, CHLC, Portugal.
Abstract:
We discuss the case of an esophageal cancer patient treated by chemo and radiotherapy complicated by an esophageal stenosis and an iatrogenic broncho-esophageal fistula. This latter was managed with multiple palliative stenting procedures and colonic surgical bypass. Despite a long disease free survival but decreased quality of life and frailty, we came to the proposal of an extremely unusual form of treatment - physiological lung exclusion, with clinical benefit and so far without any drawbacks related to the procedure.
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