Case Report
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 7, 2006; 12(9): 1476-1478
Published online Mar 7, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i9.1476
Congenital tracheoesophageal fistula successfully diagnosed by CT esophagography
Koichi Nagata, Yoshito Kamio, Tamaki Ichikawa, Mitsutaka Kadokura, Akihiko Kitami, Shungo Endo, Haruhiro Inoue, Shin-Ei Kudo
Koichi Nagata, Shungo Endo, Haruhiro Inoue, Shin-Ei Kudo, Digestive Disease Center, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, 35-1 Chigasaki-chuo, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama 224-8503, Japan
Yoshito Kamio, Mitsutaka Kadokura, Akihiko Kitami, Re-spiratory Disease Center, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, 35-1 Chigasaki-chuo, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama 224-8503, Japan
Tamaki Ichikawa, Department of Radiology, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, 35-1 Chigasaki-chuo, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama 224-8503, Japan
Correspondence to: Koichi Nagata, MD, Digestive Disease Center, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, 35-1 Chigasaki-chuo, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama 224-8503, Japan. nagata7@aol.com
Telephone: +81-45-9497927 Fax: +81-45-9497927
Received: October 31, 2005
Revised: November 11, 2005
Accepted: November 19, 2005
Published online: March 7, 2006
Abstract

Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) or bronchoesophageal fistula may be congenital, inflammatory, neoplastic, or secondary to trauma. Congenital TEF or bron-choesophageal fistula is usually associated with eso-phageal atresia and is readily diagnosed in infancy. But if it is not associated with esophageal atresia, it may persist until adulthood. Some theories have been proposed to explain this delay in diagnosis. We present a case of a 70-year-old man with congenital TEF. The TEF was successfully diagnosed by multidetector-row CT esophagography.

Keywords: Tracheoesophageal fistula; Congenital; Virtual endoscopy; Computed tomography; Esophagography