TITLE:
A Rare Case of an Acquired Benign Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula
AUTHORS:
Joanne D’Amato, Maria Borg Xuereb, Karl Sapiano, Brandon Caruana Montaldo
KEYWORDS:
Fishbone Foreign Body, Oesophageal Perforation, Oesophageal Stent, Tracheoesophageal Fistula, Conservative Treatment
JOURNAL NAME:
Case Reports in Clinical Medicine,
Vol.14 No.8,
August
19,
2025
ABSTRACT: This case report describes a 77-year-old lady who developed a benign tracheo-oesophageal fistula (TOF) following oesophageal stent placement for a fishbone-induced perforation. A multimodal diagnostic approach was used to confirm the presence of a TOF. The principal finding was stent erosion into the trachea, resulting in fistula formation and recurrent aspirations. Given the patient’s poor performance status (PS) and preference against surgery, conservative management was adopted with enteral feeding. This case highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of managing acquired benign TOFs in frail, elderly patients.