The surgical approach of late-onset tracheoesophageal fistula in a tracheostomized COVID-19 patient

The surgical approach of late-onset tracheoesophageal fistula in a tracheostomized COVID-19 patient

Blog Article

In the COVID-19 era the tracheal complications due to prolonged mechanical ventilation have significantly increased.Acquired tracheoesophageal fistula is one of those in ventilated COVID-19 patients.Thus, the opi the color that keeps on giving knowledge of their management in such fragile patient is crucial.We report a case of tracheoesophageal fistula in a 56-year-old female under prolonged mechanical ventilation for COVID-19 bilateral pneumonia and discuss its management.A surgical approach was proposed.

By a collar-shaped transverse cervicotomic access, we transected the trachea at level of fistula en-bloc with the tracheostoma.The esophageal lesion was longitudinally repaired in two-layers.Protective left strap muscle was sandwiched between esophagus and trachea.The invertatop squeeze bottle tracheal end-to-end anastomosis was completed without a re-tracheostoma.Even if surgical approach of tracheoesophageal fistula in COVID-19 patients has not been tested before, surgery remains the treatment of choice according to the multidisciplinary board.