title: Conservative medical management of traumatic pharyngoesophageal perforations.
abstract: Traditionally, surgical treatment has been the acceptable management for perforation of the pharyngoesophageal tract secondary to blunt and penetrating trauma. From July 1983 to June 1990, we managed 10 patients with this type of lesion by a conservative medical management approach. Mirror or fiberoptic flexible laryngoscopy was performed in the majority of cases to ascertain the nature of the injury. An esophagogram is very helpful to locate and evaluate the extent of the injury. All patients were treated with broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotic therapy and no oral feeding. There were no complications or need for surgical treatment in any of the cases. The head and neck surgeon, in selected cases, should consider the possibility of using conservative management of pharyngoesophageal perforations. This approach has proven in our hands to be relatively safe and cost-effective, resulting in no disability or prolonged hospitalization of our patients. This study involves two institutions (two affiliated hospitals of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine) with different surgeons selecting appropriate antibiotic therapy. It is a retrospective review. No controls were made by random selection of cases treated surgically. These cases, if not properly managed, may lead to fatal outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Dolgin
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Wykoff
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Maniglia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D010614:Pharynx / Q000293:injuries*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012421:Rupture; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents