Endoscopic Internal Drainage Achieving Successful Closure of Iatrogenic Pharyngoesophageal Fistula

Ahmad Rimawi; Yahia Al-Turk; Abdul Monem Swied

doi:10.14309/crj.0000000000001191

Endoscopic Internal Drainage Achieving Successful Closure of Iatrogenic Pharyngoesophageal Fistula

ACG Case Rep J. 2023 Oct 26;10(10):e01191. doi: 10.14309/crj.0000000000001191. eCollection 2023 Oct.

Authors

Ahmad Rimawi¹, Yahia Al-Turk², Abdul Monem Swied²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL.
² Department of Gastroenterology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL.

Abstract

Endoscopic internal drainage (EID) is a minimally invasive endoscopic technique that effectively closes upper gastrointestinal fistulas. We report the successful closure of an oropharyngeal fistula in a 78-year-old man with a history of supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma. He presented with inspiratory stridor after biopsy of a lateral wall lesion in the piriformis sinus. Imaging showed a fistula tract between the piriformis sinus and the esophagus. EID was performed using a double-pigtail stent inserted inside the fistula. Eventually, repeat imaging showed evidence of fistula closure. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of using EID for repairing an oropharyngeal fistula.

Keywords: endoscopic internal drainage; fistula; piriformis sinus.

Publication types

Case Reports