Esophageal entrapment with blunt thoracic spinal trauma.
Esophageal injury due to blunt trauma rarely occurs. However, prompt diagnosis and treatment of such injury is essential to improve patient survival. We report an extremely rare case of esophageal entrapment within a hyperextension fracture dislocation of the thoracic spine, which was diagnosed by reviewing an esophagram and CT image simultaneously. Esophageal injury should be considered with thoracic spine trauma, especially if the T3/4 level is involved.
Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 619 19th St South, Birmingham, AL 35249-6830, USA. rdelappe@uabmc.edu
R Steven
RS
Delappe
Surjith
S
Vattoth
Sushilkumar K
SK
Sonavane
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D004947:Esophagus / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating