The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 57, 1027-1029, Copyright © 1994 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Esophageal perforation in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa
TA Horan, JD Urschel, NA MacEachern, B Shulman, AN Crowson and C Magro
Department of Surgery, Misericordia Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa is an inherited mechanobullous
disease characterized by skin blistering and esophageal bullae. In response
to minor trauma, a split in the dermis or esophageal subepithelium occurs.
Esophageal perforation is a rare complication. Because the esophagus is
diseased in these patients, we believe that esophagectomy rather than
repair is the treatment of choice for esophageal perforations. We report a
patient for whom early primary repair failed and esophagectomy was
required.