Congenital Bronchoesophageal Fistula in a Patient With Crohnʹs Disease: A Cautionary Tale

We present the case of a young lady suffering from Crohnʹs disease who was diagnosed as having a disabling bronchoesophageal fistula. This was mistakenly thought to be due to the Crohnʹs disease, and surgery was declined for fear of further complications. She required multiple admissions for frequent chest infections. At review, 5 years later for a second opinion, the fistula was deemed congenital in origin. The fistula was successfully resected, and the histology confirmed the diagnosis.