Citation

Balumuka DD, Chalya PL, Mahalu W. J. Cardiothorac. Surg. 2011; 6: e116.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/1749-8090-6-116

PMID

21943147

PMCID

PMC3189108

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Oesophageal perforation is a condition associated with a high mortality. Its management is still controversial with operative treatment being favoured but a shift to conservative management is occurring. Very little exists in medical literature about its management in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the paucity of thoracic surgeons is compounded by limited diagnostic and therapeutic facilities.
CASE PRESENTATION: We report three cases of oesophageal perforation which were all treated conservatively with tube thoracostomy, nil by mouth with feeding gastrostomy, intravenous antibiotics and chest physiotherapy. Two patients achieved oesophageal healing but one died due to severe septicaemia.
CONCLUSION: In a resource restricted setting, conservative management which includes enteral nutrition by feeding gastrostomy, tube thoracostomy to drain inter pleural contaminants, intravenous antibiotics and chest physiotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for oesophageal perforations.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Child; Female; Male; Young Adult; Suicide, Attempted; Tanzania; Foreign Bodies; Caustics; Esophageal Perforation