[Spontaneous rupture of the subdiaphragmatic esophagus]

Personal experience with an extremely rare clinical picture, spontaneous rupture of the subdiaphragmatic oesophagus is reported. In the case in question, the laceration occurred in a free peritoneum, unlike what occurred in the first reported case, that of Strauch and Lynch in 1965, where the lesion was retroperitoneal. On the basis of this experience, certain pathogenetic and diagnostic factors are discussed, but most attention is paid to the surgical treatment of this exceptional lesion.