Traumatic upper cervical esophageal perforation in childhood with door handle

Abstract

Cervical esophageal rupture due to trauma in childhood is an extremely rare entity associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality if misdiagnosed. There is still no consensus on the assessment and elective management of children with trauma and esophageal rupture. Surgical primary repair is usually not feasible in patients with delayed diagnosis, especially if the period extends over 48 h. We report a case of an 8-year-old boy who suffered a posterior oropharyngeal and cervical esophageal perforation after accidental intraoral penetration of a door handle. Primary repair was avoided because of late presentation of the patient. In nearly 1½ months, the perforation resolved completely without surgical intervention to the primary site.

Keywords: childhood, esophageal perforation, trauma