title: Esophageal perforation caused by external air-blast injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Esophageal perforation after external air-blast trauma is rarely presented in the emergency room. The diagnosis is often delayed more than 24 hours.
  
  
  METHODS
  We review the literature and report a case of esophageal perforation caused by external air-blast injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Including the present case, a total of 5 cases of esophageal perforation were caused by external air-blast injury in English literature. Of them, the common presentations were chest pain and dyspnea. The treatment methods varied with each case. One patient died before diagnosis of esophageal perforation and the others survived after proper surgical management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early diagnosis and proper surgical management can reduce the morbidity and mortality of patients who suffered from esophageal perforation caused by external air-blast injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tainan Municipal Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jun-Neng
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Roan
authors.forename: Ming-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male