title: Delayed esophageal injury without instrumentation failure: complication of anterior cervical instrumentation.
abstract: The authors describe a case of a 67-year-old man who presented with a delayed esophageal perforation 4 years after anterior cervical spine surgery for spondylotic myelopathy. Diagnosis was made with esophagoscopic visualization of the lesion and repair performed with hardware removal and esophageal closure utilizing a sternocleidomastoid muscle flap. The pertinent literature is reviewed and the therapeutic implications discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, 600 E. Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA.
authors.forename: Brian P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Witwer
authors.forename: Daniel K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Resnick
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001860:Bone Plates / Q000009:adverse effects; D001863:Bone Screws / Q000009:adverse effects; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011859:Radiography; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*