Colobronchial Fistula Presenting with Persistent Pneumonia in a Patient with Crohn\u27s Disease: A Case Report

Colobronchial fistula is an uncommon complication of Crohn\u27s Disease. It is also rarely diagnosed on first presentation. We describe a case of colobronchial fistula and recurrent pneumonia in a patient with Crohn\u27s Disease. A 52-year-old gentleman with a history of Crohn\u27s Disease presented with cavitating left lower lobe pneumonia that did not resolve despite a one month course of antibiotics. A computed tomography of the thorax confirmed the presence of a cavitating left lower lobe pneumonia. A subsequent abdominal computed tomography revealed a fistulous communication between the colon at the splenic flexure and the left bronchial space. The patient underwent surgery and a fibrous tract was visualized from the splenic flexure to the left lung. Medical treatment was continued with a six week course of antibiotics and the patient was doing well 12 weeks after surgery. There have been few case reports of colobronchial fistula with a clinical picture similar to this case