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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2005;27:526-528
© 2005 Elsevier Science NL

Case report

Perforation of the lower thoracic oesophagus following crush injury to the chest and abdomen

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Royal Victoria Hospital, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT12 6BA, Northern Ireland, UK

Received 24 September 2004; received in revised form 1 December 2004; accepted 6 December 2004.

^* Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 28 9024 0503. (E-mail: ian.paul{at}talk21.com).

We report a case of perforation of the lower thoracic oesophagus following a crush injury to the chest and upper abdomen. A laparotomy was performed for abdominal injuries, and appropriately placed drains resulted in complete resolution of the oesophageal leak, 21 days following the injury. This case report demonstrates that a conservative approach to lower thoracic oesophageal perforations can be carried out successfully without the added morbidity of a thoracotomy, or risks of a direct repair.

Key Words: Oesophageal perforation • Blunt injuries • Thoracostomy