Tracheomediastinal Fistula Formation After Endobronchial Ultrasound Transbronchial Needle Aspiration While on Bevacizumab Treatment

Cureus. 2021 Mar 30;13(3):e14189. doi: 10.7759/cureus.14189.

Abstract

A 63-year-old male with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) developed a tracheomediastinal fistula after endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration while on treatment with bevacizumab. This vascular endothelial growth factor-specific angiogenesis inhibitor is a first-line treatment for unresectable or metastatic NSCLC and has been reported to cause fatal non-gastrointestinal fistulas. Respiratory tract fistulas are a known rare complication after bevacizumab therapy characterized by a high mortality rate.

Keywords: bevacizumab; ebus; non-small-cell lung cancer; respiratory tract fistula; tracheoesophageal fistula.

Publication types

  • Case Reports