[Congenital esophagobronchial fistula in an adult. Case report].

Congenital esophagobronchial fistulae are uncommon anomalies generally discovered during the neonatal period due to overt symptoms. Rarely symptoms are discrete, leading to discovery in adulthood; exceptionally the patients are totally symptom free or present minimal signs such as coughing at ingestion of fluids. Less than 200 adult cases have been reported in the literature. We report a new case of this type II congenital esophagobronchial fistula. A 59-year-old woman was hospitalized for exploration of cough at ingestion of fluids. The radiographic work-up reveal dilatation of the left bronchial tree and suspected esophagobronchial fistula. An esophago-gastro-duodenal barium study demonstrated a fistula between the mid esophagus and the left posterobasal bronchus. Fistulectomy and left lower lobectomy were performed. Outcome was favorable. The diagnosis of adult esophagobronchial fistula should be entertained in patients with an uneventful history who present localized bronchial dilatation associated with cough induced by fluid ingestion.