Broncho-esophageal fistula: When surgery and endoscopy fail, consider physiological lung exclusion

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.