title: Treatment of chronic contained spontaneous esophageal perforations.
abstract: Spontaneous esophageal perforations are associated with a high mortality and morbidity without surgery. The treatment mortality for early (<24) and late (>24 h) spontaneous esophageal perforations is reviewed as well as all recent cases of chronic spontaneous esophageal perforations. Chronic esophageal perforations with mediastinal cavities may be best treated by internal drainage of the cavity into the esophagus in order to convert the transmural perforation into an intramural esophageal dissection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. rahthorsurg@cha.ab.ca
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: McNamee
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Meyns
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Black
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male