Esophageal disruption from blunt and penetrating external trauma

C. W. Splener and J. R. Benfield

Eleven patients suffered esophageal perforations from external trauma. This series includes the first report of esophageal perforation that resulted from a cervical flexion-hyperextension injury. The other ten patient had penetrating trauma. Early signs were subtle. Small amounts of mediastinal and cervical air tended to be overlooked or erroneously attributed to other causes, such as associated pneumothorax. Once suspected, the possibility of esophageal disruption was not always pursued with optimum vigor. There was undue reliance on contrast media radiography. There were two patients with falsely normal esophagograms. All patients healed well when treated witreatment of choice.