MEDIASTINITIS FOLLOWING ESOPHAGEAL FOREIGN BODY: REPORT OF CASES

Abstract

As Dr. Jackson¹mentioned in his book on peroral endoscopy, the esophagus is surgically the most intolerant organ in the body. In cases of septic mediastinitis the general surgeon should be consulted, though unfortunately most cases are hopeless. Jackson further stated that a foreign body lodged in the esophagus may quickly prove fatal from hemorrhage, asphyxia or perforation and septic mediastinitis. I shall present six cases of mediastinitis following foreign body, as I trust they will bring about discussion. In two of the six cases I performed esophagoscopy when mediastinitis was already present ; both patients died. In two cases in which there was mediastinitis no endoscopic procedure was done; both patients died. In one case, the point of a safety-pin had perforated, but the pin was sufficiently close to the stomach so that it could be removed from below, which was done, with the earnest request that a gastrostomy