Intramural Rupture and Bleeding

Abstract

In some cases traumata of the esophagus are limited to part of the esophageal wall, without causing a complete perforation; they may then result in intramural dissection, intramural bleeding or intramural abscess formation. The intramural lesion may be caused by endoscopic exploration (Borrie, 1958; Lichter and BoPvPviE, 1965) or by aspiration of the oropharynx of the neonate with a suction catheter (EKLÖF et al., 1969). SANP>ORN (1960) mentioned foreign bodies as another cause of intramural esophageal perforations with abscess formation (Fig. 99). He suggested that the „esophageal phlegmons“ that are described by endoscopists may in fact be due to intramural rupture by foreign bodies. The first case of „spontaneous“ intramural esophageal dissection after vomiting was de scribed by Thompson et al. (1967). Marks and Keet (1968) described an intramural esophageal perforation occurring during a rather hurriedly eaten meal. Borrie and Sheat (1970) reported on a patient who suffered an intramural perforation because „he stifled a sneeze in the very act of swallowing a portion of a sandwich lunch“.