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Rupture of the cervical esophagus following a radical neck dissection

Davorin Đanić ; Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Cervicofacial Surgery, Dr. Josip Benčević General Hospital, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
Irena Pirkl ; Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Cervicofacial Surgery, Dr. Josip Benčević General Hospital, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
Alen Sekelj ; Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Cervicofacial Surgery, Dr. Josip Benčević General Hospital, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
LJubica Fuštar-Preradović ; Department of Pathology and Cytology, Dr. Josip Benčević General Hospital, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
Ana Đanić ; Osijek University School of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia

Abstract

Esophageal rupture is a surgical emergency associated with high morbidity and mortality. We reported a rare case of a spontaneous rupture of the cervical esophagus following radical neck dissection. A 57 year-old man with the history of overconsumption of alcohol and cigarettes developed a primary lung carcinoma and metastasis in the thyroid gland and cervical lymph nodes. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy and extended radical neck dissection. The trachea and esophageal wall were intact and there were no intraoperative complications. On postoperative day 2, after a severe coughing attack and a brief episode of vomiting, the patient felt acute sharp pain in the neck and developed subcutaneous emphysema in left side of the neck. After the diagnosis of a rupture of the cervical esophagus was made by rigid esophagoscopy, emergency exploration of the neck was performed and the esophageal wall was repaired properly with primary closure of the rupture.

Keywords

esophageal rupture; neck dissection

Hrčak ID:

281542

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/281542

Publication date:

30.11.2005.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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