Perforation of the abdominal segment of the esophagus

Abstract

Five patients with perforation of the abdominal segment of the esophagus are described. In two patients with tear of the abdominal segment alone, perforation occurred into the retroperitoneal space. In the other three, there was a tear that extended above the diaphragm, and perforation was into both the thorax and lesser sac in one and into both the thorax and retroperitoneal space in the other two. The clinical manifestations and treatment of these patients differ from those of the more common intrathoracic perforation.