Neglected esophageal injury presenting with spontaneously shrunken retroesophageal pocket

Cervical stab wounds with a thoracic-inlet esophageal injury are extremely rare. A 30-year-old man presented with dysphagia and stridor. He had attempted suicide by stabbing his neck with a screwdriver followed by jumping from a building 10 days previously, when a cervical tracheal injury was found and surgically repaired. Physical examination was unremarkable. Lateral cervical radiography revealed an air-fluid level within an extensive retropharyngeal pocket. Follow-up radiography showed that the retropharyngeal lesion had shrunk spontaneously. Contrast esophagography demonstrated an extravasation at the thoracic inlet. The patient underwent surgical exploration of the esophagus via a lower neck incision. A thoracic-inlet esophageal slit was found and primary repair was performed. He resumed oral intake uneventfully on the 8th postoperative day. This was a rare case of esophageal injury secondary to cervical stabbing wounds, presenting with delayed occurrence and spontaneously shrunken retroesophageal pocket. Esophageal perforation can be easily missed if tracheal lesion is found. Both bronchoscopy and esophagoscopy are mandatory. In patients highly suspected to have esophageal injury but with a negative esophagoscopy result, contrast esophagography is indicated and can decrease the incidence of false-negative results. ? 2008 Elsevier & Formosan Medical Association.