Nephrobronchial fistula a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Nephrobronchial fistula is an extremely rare complications of renal infections. We present a case of nephrobronchial fistula in a middle age immunocompetent woman who complained cough and weight loss, with underlying asymptomatic nephrolithiasis. She underwent a chest X-ray that showed left lower lobe infiltrate and abdominal ultrasound. Abdominal ultrasound showed a complicated pyonephrosis ; CT of chest-abdomen-pelvis with intravenous contrast was performed in order to stage and define the extension of the pathology. At CT, a suspected diagnosis of stage III xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis complicated with pyonephrosis and a nephrobronchial fistula was formulated. A nephrostomy tube was placed, and the patient was treated with antibiotics. Follow up CT, performed after 15 days, showed the healing of the fistulous connection between the perinephric abscess and bronchi; the patient underwent nephrectomy with no airway complication during intubation. Histopathological diagnosis confirmed the presence on complicated xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis.