Unusual site for oesophageal perforation in an extremely low birth weight infant.
A male infant born at 26 weeks gestation became unwell at 10 days of age with blood-stained pharyngeal aspirates. The chest radiograph revealed a feeding tube in the right pleural cavity, indicating a perforation of the thoracic oesophagus. The infant had had a chest drain inserted on the right side on two previous occasions. These had been allowed to remain across the mediastinum at the site of the subsequent perforation. The infant was successfully managed conservatively with no long-term sequelae The unusual site of the perforation led us to conclude that pressure necrosis from the drains was a contributing factor in the aetiology.


CONCLUSIONS
Oesophageal perforations in the neonate, in contrast to the adult, can be managed conservatively.
Cairns
P A
PA
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Jubilee Maternity Hospital, Belfast, N. Ireland.
McClure
B G
BG
Halliday
H L
HL
Mc Reid
M
M
D015505:Chest Tubes / Q000009:adverse effects; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography