Differentiated treatment of intrathoracic oesophageal perforations

A series of 44 consecutive patients with oesophageal perforation treated during the ten-year period 1969-1978 has been reviewed. Thirty perforations were caused by oesophagoscopy using a rigid instrument, often combined with dilation and/or biopsy, 4 were caused by a fibreoptic instrument and 10 were spontaneous ruptures. A benign stricture was the most commonly associated lesion in the oesophagus. Six patients with an iatrogenic perforation were treated conservatively without mortality. These patients were characterized by mild symptoms, early recognition, minor leakage from the oesophagus and no communication to the pleural cavity. Fourteen patients were treated with closed thoracic drainage. The overall mortality among these patients was 70%, but for those with a spontaneous rupture it was 100%. Twenty-four patients were treated surgically with a mortality of 20%. Individualized treatment is recommended.