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Esophageal perforation

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Perforation of the esophagus

Symptoms:

The main symptom is pain at first, but the condition can progress to shock -- even death -- if untreated. Signs include fast breathing, rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, and fever.

Patients with a perforation in the uppermost portion of the esophagus may have neck pain or stiffness and air bubbles underneath the skin.

Patients with a perforation in the middle portion or lowermost portion of the esophagus may have difficulty swallowing, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.

Signs and tests:

A chest x-ray may reveal that there is air in the soft tissues of the chest, fluid that has leaked from the esophagus into the space around the lungs, or a lung collapse.

A chest CT scan may show an abscess in the chest or esophageal cancer. X-rays taken after you drink a non-harmful dye can help pinpoint the location of the perforation.

• Review Date: 7/14/2006
• Reviewed By: J.A. Lee, M.D., Division of Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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