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VOLUME 8 , ISSUE 1 ( January-June, 2019 ) > List of Articles

CASE REPORT

Incessant Pleural Drainage - Can It Be a Masquerading Esophageal-Pleural Fistula?

Rajesh Kumar Singh, Ajay Kumar Singh

Keywords : Esophageal-pleural fistula, incessant drainage, massive pleural effusion

Citation Information : Singh RK, Singh AK. Incessant Pleural Drainage - Can It Be a Masquerading Esophageal-Pleural Fistula?. Indian J Respir Care 2019; 8 (1):60-62.

DOI: 10.4103/ijrc.ijrc_46_18

License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Published Online: 05-12-2022

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2019; Indian Journal of Respiratory Care.


Abstract

Spontaneous esophageal-pleural fistula (EPF) is extremely rare. We present a case of a 52-year gentleman who presented with shortness of breath and decreased appetite, whose chest X-ray and ultrasonogram of thorax depicted a pleural effusion like picture. Intercostal drainage tubes were inserted to alleviate his dyspnea. Plain computerized tomography (CT) thorax initially revealed a pleural cyst, which was surgically drained. Subsequent CT thorax with contrast and barium swallow revealed EPF, which was confirmed with endoscopy. Pleural fluid analysis revealed candida as the cause of EPF. Candida as a cause of EPF that too in an nonimmunocompromised patient is very rare. Multidisciplinary approach is required to diagnose and prevent mortality in such cases.


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