title: [Esophageal perforation by osteosynthesis material after ventral spondylodesis of the cervical spine].
abstract: Esophageal perforation after cervical spine surgery is a rare complication. Based on the case of a 77-year-old female patient with a late, asymptomatic esophageal perforation after a ventral spondylodesis of the cervical spine, the symptoms, diagnostics, and therapy of this complication are discussed. The therapy of choice is the operation. Nonoperative therapy should only be chosen--like in our case--for special indications. An esophageal perforation with symptoms should be treated operatively. Our patient was treated conservatively in consideration of her age and missing symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Unfall-, Hand- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie, Städtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe. cmueller@ch11.ukl.uni-freiburg.de
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Strohm
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pfister
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004868:Equipment Failure; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D011859:Radiography; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation*