Successful Treatment of a Recurrent Wide Tracheoesophageal Fistula With a Bioabsorbable Patch

Abstract

Acquired nonmalignant tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is a rare condition that requires proper treatment. We present the case of a 55-year-old woman with a 4.5-cm recurrent TEF, which had developed after an attempted surgical repair. After closure of the esophageal defect in two layers, a tracheoplasty technique was used to repair the tracheal membranous wall with a synthetic bioabsorbable patch (Gore Bio-A tissue reinforcement) covered with an intercostal muscle flap. The use of Gore Bio-A tissue reinforcement is an innovative and effective method to close a wide tracheal defect while achieving a scaffold for epithelial colonization.