Conservative management of penetrating hypopharyngeal wounds.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate the applicability of nonoperative treatment to penetrating hypopharyngeal wounds.


METHODS
A prospective study.


METHODS
An analysis of patients with penetrating hypopharyngeal wounds who were treated nonoperatively at the Hospital Universitario del Valle (Cali, Colombia) during 4 years (beginning January 1990) was performed. Patients older than 13 years with proven lesions produced by penetrating trauma were included. Patients with foreign-body-induced or iatrogenic lesions (orotracheal intubation, endoscopy) or immediate need for surgery (for associated lesions) were excluded. Nonoperative management consisted of nasogastric tube for feeding, suspension of oral intake, and parenteral antibiotics for 7 days.


RESULTS
Fourteen patients met the above criteria. Gunshot wounds (n = 11) were the most common trauma. An esophagogram/endoscopy demonstrated the lesions. The only complication in the group consisted of a cervical abscess, which presented in a patient during the first week of treatment. There were no complications such as fistula, leakage, and Horner's syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
Conservative management is a good and safe alternative when indicated in penetrating hypopharyngeal wounds.
Yugueros
P
P
Department of General Surgery, Hospital Universitario del Valle, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
Sarmiento
J M
JM
Garcia
A F
AF
Ferrada
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007013:Hypopharynx / Q000293:injuries*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*