Esophago-pleuro-cutaneous fistula. A case report

In a sixty-three year old Japanese man with a history of long standing pulmonary tuberculosis, an unusual esophago-cutaneous fistula developed. The possibility of esophago-pleuro-cutaneous fistula was considered, because there was an old tuberculosis causing lung abscess of hilar lymph node adenopathy and which facilitated development of an extensive fistulous tract. The patient was effectively treated by palliative surgical procedure. This may be the first report of a benign esophago-pleuro-cutaneous fistula.