Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (674 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Abnormal passage communicating with the esophagus. The most common type is tracheoesophageal fistula between the esophagus and the trachea.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Esophageal Fistulas; Fistula, Esophageal; Fistulas, Esophageal.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Digestive System Fistula; Esophageal Diseases
- Narrower topics
- Tracheoesophageal Fistula
Related concepts
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 7,533 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Esophageal Fistula” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 1,029 of them (13.7%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 3,551 records.
Reviews account for 635 records (8.4%) and meta-analyses for 22. Randomized controlled trials number 22 (0.3%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 3,551 |
| 2000-2009 | 1,272 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,681 |
| 2020 onward | 1,029 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 635 | 8.4% |
| Meta-analyses | 22 | 0.3% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 22 | 0.3% |
Method: PubMed query "Esophageal Fistula"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in digestive system and liver
Gut and liver research ranges from laboratory studies of the microbiome to large trials of drugs and surgery. Symptoms such as pain, reflux or bowel change are reported by patients and overlap between conditions, and diet and microbiome studies are mostly observational. Check whether the study measured symptoms, tissue findings or long-term outcomes, how the diagnosis was made and how long people were followed. Nothing here replaces advice from a qualified clinician.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Esophageal fistula after definitive concurrent chemotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma | 2021 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 35 | cc by PMID 33989365 · DOI · PMC8121322 |
| Mammalian tracheal development and reconstruction: insights from in vivo and in vitro studies | 2021 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 20 | cc by PMID 34228796 · DOI · PMC8276987 |
| Distinct molecular pathways mediate Mycn and Myc-regulated miR-17-92 microRNA action in Feingold syndrome mouse models | 2018 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 19 | cc by PMID 29636449 · DOI · PMC5893605 |
| Fatal Aortoesophageal Fistula after Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 0 | cc by PMID 42021024 · DOI · PMC13110882 |
Esophageal fistula after definitive concurrent chemotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundThe literature regarding esophageal fistula after definitive concurrent chemotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains lacking.
- Closing excerpt
- There existed a trend toward improved survival after the fistula among patients receiving repair or stenting for esophageal perforation.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (291 words)
BackgroundThe literature regarding esophageal fistula after definitive concurrent chemotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains lacking. We aimed to investigate the risk factors of esophageal fistula among ESCC patients undergoing definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) via IMRT technique.MethodsA total of 129 consecutive ESCC patients receiving definitive CCRT with IMRT between 2008 and 2018 were reviewed. The cumulative incidence of esophageal fistula and survival of patients were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared between groups by the log-rank test. The risk factors of esophageal fistula were determined with multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.ResultsMedian follow-up was 14.9 months (IQR, 7.0-28.8). Esophageal perforation was identified in 20 (15.5%) patients, resulting in esophago-pleural fistula in nine, esophago-tracheal fistula in seven, broncho-esophageal fistula in two, and aorto-esophageal fistula in two patients. The median interval from IMRT to the occurrence of esophageal fistula was 4.4 months (IQR, 3.3-10.1). Patients with esophageal fistula had an inferior median overall survival (10.0 vs. 17.2 months, p = 0.0096). T4 (HR, 3.776; 95% CI, 1.383-10.308; p = 0.010) and esophageal stenosis (HR, 2.601; 95% CI, 1.053-6.428; p = 0.038) at baseline were the independent risk factors for esophageal fistula. The cumulative incidence of esophageal fistula was higher in patients with T4 (p = 0.018) and pre-treatment esophageal stenosis (p = 0.045). There was a trend toward better survival after esophageal fistula among patients receiving repair or stenting for the fistula than those only undergoing conservative treatments (median survival, 5.9 vs. 0.9 months, p = 0.058).ConclusionsT4 and esophageal stenosis at baseline independently increased the risk of esophageal fistula in ESCC treated by definitive CCRT with IMRT. There existed a trend toward improved survival after the fistula among patients receiving repair or stenting for esophageal perforation.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 33989365 · DOI · PMC8121322
Mammalian tracheal development and reconstruction: insights from in vivo and in vitro studies [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The trachea delivers inhaled air into the lungs for gas exchange.
- Closing excerpt
- In this Review, recent advances in mammalian tracheal development and the generation of tracheal tissues from pluripotent stem cells are summarized.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (93 words)
The trachea delivers inhaled air into the lungs for gas exchange. Anomalies in tracheal development can result in life-threatening malformations, such as tracheoesophageal fistula and tracheomalacia. Given the limitations of current therapeutic approaches, development of technologies for the reconstitution of a three-dimensional trachea from stem cells is urgently required. Recently, single-cell sequencing technologies and quantitative analyses from cell to tissue scale have been employed to decipher the cellular basis of tracheal morphogenesis. In this Review, recent advances in mammalian tracheal development and the generation of tracheal tissues from pluripotent stem cells are summarized.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 34228796 · DOI · PMC8276987
Distinct molecular pathways mediate Mycn and Myc-regulated miR-17-92 microRNA action in Feingold syndrome mouse models [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Feingold syndrome is a skeletal dysplasia caused by loss-of-function mutations of either MYCN (type 1) or MIR17HG that encodes miR-17-92 microRNAs (type 2).
- Closing excerpt
- These results strongly suggest that despite the phenotypical similarity, distinct molecular mechanisms underlie the pathoetiology for Feingold syndrome type 1 and 2.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (143 words)
Feingold syndrome is a skeletal dysplasia caused by loss-of-function mutations of either MYCN (type 1) or MIR17HG that encodes miR-17-92 microRNAs (type 2). Since miR-17-92 expression is transcriptionally regulated by MYC transcription factors, it has been postulated that Feingold syndrome type 1 and 2 may be caused by a common molecular mechanism. Here we show that Mir17-92 deficiency upregulates TGF-β signaling, whereas Mycn-deficiency downregulates PI3K signaling in limb mesenchymal cells. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of TGF-β signaling efficiently rescues the skeletal defects caused by Mir17-92 deficiency, suggesting that upregulation of TGF-β signaling is responsible for the skeletal defect of Feingold syndrome type 2. By contrast, the skeletal phenotype of Mycn-deficiency is partially rescued by Pten heterozygosity, but not by TGF-β inhibition. These results strongly suggest that despite the phenotypical similarity, distinct molecular mechanisms underlie the pathoetiology for Feingold syndrome type 1 and 2.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 29636449 · DOI · PMC5893605
Fatal Aortoesophageal Fistula after Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- PurposeAortoesophageal fistula (AEF) after esophagectomy is a rare but catastrophic complication, often occurring after anastomotic leakage and mediastinal contamination.
- Closing excerpt
- Prompt recognition and multidisciplinary escalation may enable survival even in high-risk patients.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (147 words)
PurposeAortoesophageal fistula (AEF) after esophagectomy is a rare but catastrophic complication, often occurring after anastomotic leakage and mediastinal contamination. Evidence regarding fatal trajectories and rescue failure points remains limited.MethodsWe performed a retrospective, single-center study among esophageal cancer patients who developed AEF after esophagectomy between 2013 and 2024. Cases were identified from institutional databases and mortality records, followed by manual screening. Clinical course, antecedent complications, diagnostic workup, rescue interventions, and causes of death were summarized descriptively.ResultsAmong 5543 esophagectomies, 17 patients (0.31%) developed AEF: 16 fatal (94.1%) and 1 survivor (5.9%). All were male, median age 63 years. Anastomotic leak occurred in 16 patients (94.1%), all with mediastinal infection. Sentinel bleeding preceded hemorrhage in 14 patients (82.4%); the median interval to fatal hemorrhage was 1 day.ConclusionsPost-esophagectomy AEF is highly lethal. Sentinel bleeding represents a critical intervention window. Prompt recognition and multidisciplinary escalation may enable survival even in high-risk patients.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42021024 · DOI · PMC13110882
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article ESPGHAN-NASPGHAN Guidelines for the Evaluation and Treatment of Gastrointestinal and Nutritional Complications in Children With Esophageal Atresia-Tracheoesophageal Fistula [5]
- Research article Aortoesophageal fistula: a comprehensive review of the literature [6]
- Research article Long-term complications of congenital esophageal atresia and/or tracheoesophageal fistula [7]
- Research article Tracheoesophageal fistula [8]
- Research article Esophageal Injury and Atrioesophageal Fistula Caused by Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation [9]
- Research article Atrioesophageal Fistula: Clinical Presentation, Procedural Characteristics, Diagnostic Investigations, and Treatment Outcomes [10]
References
- Pao TH, Chen YY, Chang WL, Chang JS, Chiang NJ, Lin CY, et al.. Esophageal fistula after definitive concurrent chemotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. . 2021. PMID 33989365 · DOI · PMC8121322
- Kishimoto K, Morimoto M. Mammalian tracheal development and reconstruction: insights from in vivo and in vitro studies. . 2021. PMID 34228796 · DOI · PMC8276987
- Mirzamohammadi F, Kozlova A, Papaioannou G, Paltrinieri E, Ayturk UM, Kobayashi T. Distinct molecular pathways mediate Mycn and Myc-regulated miR-17-92 microRNA action in Feingold syndrome mouse models. . 2018. PMID 29636449 · DOI · PMC5893605
- Zhao L, Zhang Z, Gao H, Shi G, Ai J, Wei Y. Fatal Aortoesophageal Fistula after Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis. . 2026. PMID 42021024 · DOI · PMC13110882
- Krishnan U, Mousa H, Dall'Oglio L, Homaira N, Rosen R, Faure C, et al.. ESPGHAN-NASPGHAN Guidelines for the Evaluation and Treatment of Gastrointestinal and Nutritional Complications in Children With Esophageal Atresia-Tracheoesophageal Fistula. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2016. PMID 27579697 · DOI
- Hollander JE, Quick G. Aortoesophageal fistula: a comprehensive review of the literature. Am J Med. 1991. PMID 1892150 · DOI
- Kovesi T, Rubin S. Long-term complications of congenital esophageal atresia and/or tracheoesophageal fistula. Chest. 2004. PMID 15364774 · DOI
- Reed MF, Mathisen DJ. Tracheoesophageal fistula. Chest Surg Clin N Am. 2003. PMID 12755313 · DOI
- Kapur S, Barbhaiya C, Deneke T, Michaud GF. Esophageal Injury and Atrioesophageal Fistula Caused by Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation. Circulation. 2017. PMID 28947480 · DOI
- Han HC, Ha FJ, Sanders P, Spencer R, Teh AW, O'Donnell D, et al.. Atrioesophageal Fistula: Clinical Presentation, Procedural Characteristics, Diagnostic Investigations, and Treatment Outcomes. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2017. PMID 29109075 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.