Dysphagia soon after off-pump coronary surgery: the single suture technique

We report a case of a 76-year-old man complaining of dysphagia for solid food associated with a weight loss following an off-pump double vessel coronary artery revascularization. Multislice spiral computed tomography showed a 6 cm x 2.5 cm solid formation next to the posterior wall of the left atrium, adjacent to the pericardium and the right anterolateral side of the esophagus. The mass was confirmed to be an intramural esophageal hematoma by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology. Injury to esophagus during the placement of deep pericardial sutures and postoperative infusion of heparin are claimed to be causes of this complication.