Congenital esophagobronchial fistula in the adult

Communications between the esophagus and the tracheobronchial tree in adults are usually acquired and are generally caused by tumour, trauma or infection. Congenital fistulas persisting to adult life are uncommon. The authors present the case of a 72-year-old woman with a congenital fistula between the esophagus and the posterior segmental bronchus of the lower lobe of the left lung. The relative lack of symptoms in this patient for so many years is a well recognized feature of such fistulas. The fistula and lower lobe of the left lung were excised. Some of the reported cases of congenital esophagobronchial fistulas in adults are reviewed and the clinical, radiologic and histologic features of this entity are described.