The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 52, 151-153, Copyright © 1991 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
New method for dealing with late-presenting spontaneous esophageal ruptures
CJ McNamee, B Meyns and KM Pagliero
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, England.
A new technique is described for dealing with late-presenting spontaneous
esophageal ruptures. This method requires only a short period of general
anesthesia to drain the periesophageal abscess by a drainage tube inserted
into the abscess cavity from the esophagus with the aid of a gastroscope
and fluoroscopy. Gastric fluids are diverted from the esophageal rupture
with a gastrostomy, and a jejunostomy is used for enteral feeding. The
esophagus is retained, and closure of the fistula with resumption of normal
swallowing is documented with serial sinograms.