Chronic esophageal fistula as a rare cause of secondary osteomyelitis of the thoracic spine

This paper presents a clinical case with secondary developed ThYII-ThYIII vertebral spondylitis due to esophageal fistula. At the initial diagnosis, spondylitis was associated with spinal anesthesia, which was carried out 6 months before the onset of the disease, since there was a fistulous defect on the skin in the lumbar region. On this occasion, surgical interventions were performed three times in a surgical hospital at the place of residence. The data of endoscopic examination and the patient's complaints about the relationship between meals, the appearance of pain and the nature of the discharge from the fistula were not taken into account by doctors initially. With the help of an additional examination, including computed tomography of the esophagus with oral contrast and CT fistulography, the main diagnosis was esophageal fistula. Thoracic spondylitis was only a secondary complication