Background: We present a case report of a trachea-colonic fistula and demonstrate our unique approach to repair, which was efficient and effective.
Methods: The patient was a 50-year-old man who had a congenital tracheoesophageal fistula repair with colonic interposition as a child who now developed a fistula between his colon and trachea.
Results: We performed a transtracheal approach, with primary closure of redundant colon mucosa as well as direct repair of the trachea. An inferiorly based sternocleidomastoid muscle flap was interposed between these 2 layers to augment the repair. The patient had an uneventful recovery with an effective reconstitution of the alimentary tract and the airway.
Conclusion: Tracheo-colonic fistula is an extremely rare pathology, and the scarring that develops after a prior esophagectomy makes a traditional lateral approach very difficult. The transtracheal approach is an effective method to obtain needed exposure in order to carry out the repair.
Keywords: aspiration; colonic interposition; tracheal fistula; tracheal reconstruction; tracheoesophageal fistula.
© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.