ESOPHAGOAORTIC FISTULA CAUSED BY ESOPHAGEAL TUBERCULOSIS - REPORT OF A CASE

We report herein the case of a 73-year-otd woman who was urgently admi tted to hospital with severe hematemesis. An emergency endoscopy revea led a protruding lesion 36 cm from the incisors; however, respiratory insufficiency precluded surgery and despite aggressive medical treatme nt, the patient's respiratory status continued to deteriorate, leading to death on the 36th hospital day. An autopsy revealed the source of the hemorrhage to be a fistula connecting the esophagus and the descen ding aorta. Histopathologic studies showed that this fistula was cause d by esophageal tuberculosis.