Supplementary Material for: Bronchoesophageal Fistula Following Radiotherapy Case Report

Bronchoesophageal fistulas (BOF) have predominantly been found to result in a decreased quality of life and an increased rate of mortality, particularly due to their severe complications and difficult treatment. This report discusses the case of a 71-year-old female who presented with shortness of breath and a continuous cough secondary to a fistula between the oesophagus and right bronchus on the background of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This patient has been seen by oncologists in the treatment of her lung cancer after right middle and lower lobe lobotomies, which was then treated with radiotherapy. On admission, a computer tomography (CT) scan revealed that the patient had a BOF due to therapeutic radiotherapy for SCC. She underwent intervention from the Gastrointestinal and Respiratory Physicians to treat the BOF. Oesophageal stent placement was performed for treatment; however the BOF remained patent so a bronchial stent was considered for insertion. While the patient was awaiting the bronchial stent, they died.

支气管食管瘘（Bronchoesophageal fistulas, BOF）目前被临床普遍认为会显著降低患者生活质量并升高死亡率，尤其是因其存在严重并发症且治疗难度较大。本报告探讨一例71岁女性患者的病例：该患者因食管与右侧支气管间存在瘘管，继发出现气短与持续性咳嗽，基础疾病为鳞状细胞癌（SCC）。该患者因肺癌就诊于肿瘤科，先后接受右肺中叶及下肺叶切除术，术后辅以放射治疗。入院时，计算机断层扫描（CT）显示患者的支气管食管瘘由鳞状细胞癌的放射治疗诱发。针对该BOF，胃肠与呼吸专科医师为其实施介入治疗，先行食管支架置入术，但瘘管仍保持通畅，遂考虑置入支气管支架。然而在等待支气管支架置入的过程中，患者不幸离世。