Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T19:12:08.975Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Spontaneous perforation of cervical oesophagus: a rare variant of Boerhaave's syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 March 2009

S Mittal ,
A Rohatgi ,
R P Sutcliffe  and
A Botha
S Mittal*
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
A Rohatgi
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
R P Sutcliffe
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
A Botha
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Shruti Mittal, 6 Waterloo Mansions, 59 Webber Street, London SE1 0RD, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background:

A 29-year-old man presented with sudden onset of severe pain in his throat, difficulty breathing and a hoarse voice, following an episode of vomiting.

Investigations:

Initial laboratory tests were normal. The patient underwent fibre-optic nasendoscopy, which demonstrated a haematoma in the piriform fossa. Lateral neck radiography and subsequent computed tomography scanning confirmed a 2 cm, loculated, gas-containing collection at the level of the vallecula in the right posterolateral wall, extending to the false vocal folds and communicating between the right parapharyngeal space and the right carotid sheath. Water-soluble contrast swallow confirmed the diagnosis.

Diagnosis:

Contained oesophageal perforation.

Management:

Conservative treatment was adopted involving nil orally, intravenous antibiotics and nasogastric feeding. The patient made an uneventful recovery.

Keywords

OesophagusNeckPerforation
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 123 , Issue 12 , December 2009 , pp. 1378 - 1380
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Khan, A, Strauss, D, Mason, R. Boerhaave's syndrome: diagnosis and surgical management. The Surgeon 2007;5:39–44CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2Beggs, D, Morgan, W. Spontaneous oesophageal perforation associated with oesophageal web. J Laryngol Otol 1989;109:537–8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3Das, A, Sivak, M, Chak, A. Cervical oesophageal perforation during EUS: a national survey. Gastrointest Endosc 2001;53:599–602Google Scholar
4Ku, P, Tong, M, Ho, K, Kwan, A, Hasselt, C. Traumatic esophageal perforation resulting from endotracheal intubation. Anaesth Analg 1998;87:730–1Google Scholar
5Sahjpaul, R. Esophageal perforation from anterior cervical screw migration. Surg Neurol 2006;68:205–10Google Scholar
6Kesler, P, Buzna, E. Surgical and conservative management of esophageal perforation. Chest 1981;80:158–62CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7Mussack, T, Landauer, N, Ladurner, R, Schieman, U, Goetzberger, M, Burchardi, C et al. Successful treatment of cervical oesophageal perforation in Behcet's disease with drainage operation and infliximab. Am J Gastroenterol 2003;98:703–4Google Scholar
8Weiman, D, Walker, W, Brosnan, K, Pate, J, Fabian, T. Noniatrogenic oesophageal trauma. Ann Thorac Surg 1995;59:845–9Google Scholar
9Scheinin, S, Wells, P. Esophageal perforation in a sword swallower. Texas Heart Inst J 2001;28:65–8Google Scholar
10Vogel, S, Rout, W, Martin, T, Abbitt, P. Esophageal perforation in adults: aggressive, conservative treatment lowers morbidity and mortality. Ann Surg 2005;241:1016–23CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed