[Successful treatment of spontaneous rupture of the esophagus (author's transl)]

A case report is given of a 39 year old patient, who had been healthy before and who had a spontaneous rupture of the esophagus, which could be treated successfully by immediate surgery. It is pointed out, that diagnosis had to be established on an interdisciplinary basis. Patient with severe thoracic pain of unknown origine, or patients, who are suspected to have a perforated ulcer should have a radiogram of the chest, which will lead to establishing the diagnosis. The success of the treatment in the case presented is attributed to early diagnosis and to a monofilament wire suture.