External diversion for palliative treatment of malignant tracheoesophageal or bronchoesophageal fistulas.

The creation of cervical esophagostomy, distal esophageal ligation, and a feeding gastrostomy in combination with an external bypass device for the treatment of malignant tracheoesophageal and bronchoesophageal fistulas offers a simple and rational approach for a critical situation in which more extensive surgical procedures are neither warranted nor more effective.