• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1107-1114
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• 1991

We have experienced fourteen patients of esophageal perforation at the department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, Chonbuk National University Hospital during the period from mar. 1980 to Oct. 1990. The ratio between male and female patients was 5 : 9, and their age ranged from 22 years to 69 years. The causes of th eesophageal perforation were iatrogenic in 6 cases, foreign body 5 cases, diverticulitis 2 cases, and postpneumonectomy 1 case. The locations were cervical esophagus in 2 cases, upper thoracic in 2 cases, mid-thoracic 4 cases, and lower thoracic 6 cases. The underlying diseases associated with perforation were lye stricture, diverticulum, achalasia, and postpneumonectomy empyema. The treatments were supportive in 6 cases and combined with surgical measures in 8 cases. surgical measurs were as follows : incision and drainage in 2 cases, esophagectomy with esophagogastrostomy 3 cases, esophagocardiomyotomy with partial fundoplication in 1 case, simple closure with myoplasty and thoracoplasty 1 case, and empyema drainage and gastrostomy 1 case. There was no mortality.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1084-1094
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• 1988

Conservative management of 3 iatrogenic perforations of intrathoracic esophagus was reviewed. The primary disorders were achalasia in 2 patients and congenital tracheoesophageal fistula in 1 patient. Perforation occurred after treatment of the primary disorders in the distal esophagus in 2 patients and mid-thoracic esophagus in 1 patient. All the perforations appeared late after the previous treatments and the inflammation spread to mediastinum and pleural cavity in all the 3 patients. Conservative management of esophageal perforation was carried out with intraluminal drainage from the perforated site of esophagus[insertion of Levin`s tube and continuous suction], pleural drainage and feeding of liquid diet through gastrostomy tube with Fowler`s position. The patients revealed spontaneous closure of perforated sites about 3 to 4 weeks after this conservative management without open thoracotomy. This result suggests that this conservative management may be accepted as therapeutic method in the thoracic esophageal perforations regardless of cause and time of the perforation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.112-115
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• 2000

A-13-urar-old with a history of Alport syndrome had been suffering from progressive dysphagia and postprandial vomiting for over 7 years. Exophagogram and manoemtric studies were consistent with achalasia. Barum study demonstrated marked esophageal dilatation and smooth tapered narrowing of the distal esophagus. However in spite of the medical treatment including the injection of the distal esophagus. However in spite of the medical treatment including the injection of botulinum toxin at the lesion site using an endoscope symptom did not improved and he suffered growth failure and malnutrition. Esophagectomy and esophagogastrostomy were performed to relieve the dysphagia. A firm circumferential intramural mass about 7$\times$5$\times$5 cm was found in the distal esophagus. The lumen of the esophagus was markedly dilated and esophageal wall was hypertrophied. Histologic examination of the neoplasm revealed a rather ill defined tumor tissue consisting of interlacing or whirling spindle cells without significant mitosis and esophageal leiomyo-matosis was confirmed. The patient was discharged uneventfully.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.57-60
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• 1975

Congenital esophageal stricture is infrequent disease entity and usually occurs in the mid esophagus. Tracheobronchial remnants in the esophagus causing esophageal stricture are extremely rare, and only few cases were reported in the literature. During last 17 years the authors experienced a case of congenital esophageal stricture due to ectopic tracheal cartilaginous ring who was complicated by peptic esophageal stricture 11 years after esophagogastrostomy. During thoracotomy we thought that the patient had unual achalasia of the esophagus, and couldn`t perform cardiomyotomy because of firm ring encircling the lower esophagus just above the hiatus. The patient was operated on lower esophagectomy including cardia and esophagogastrostomy at his age of two and a half years. Postoperatively the patient did well for 11 years but later he developed intermittent regurgitation without substernal burning, and reoperated under the diagnosis of peptic esophageal stricture-lower esophagectomy, proximal gastrectomy, esophagogastrostomy and Heineke-Mikulicz pyloroplasty with good operative result.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.11-16
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• 2004

Classification of esophageal motility disorders not yet finalized and is still ongoing as the new disorders are reported, and the existing classification is changed or removed. In terms of radiology, the primary peristalsis does not exist, and the lower end of the esophagus show the smooth, tapered, beak-like appearance. The esophageal motility disorder, which mostly occurs in the smooth muscle area, show the symptoms of reduction or loss (hypomotility) or abnormal increase (hypermotility) of peristalsis of the esophagus. It is important to understand the anatomy and physiology of the esophagus for the appropriate radiological method and diagnosis. Furthermore, the symptom of the patient and the manometry finding must be closely referred for the radiological diagnosis. The lower esophageal sphincter can be normally functioning and open completely as the food moves lower. Sperandio M et al. argues that the name diffuse esophageal spasm must be changed to distal esophageal spasm (DES) as most of the spasm occurs in the distal esophagus, composed of the smooth muscle. According to Ott et al., usefulness of barium method for diagnosing the esophageal motility disorder is Achalasia 95%, DES 71% and NEMD 46%, with the overall sensitivity of 56%. However, excluding the nutcracker esophagus or nonspecific disorder which cannot be diagnosed with the radiological methods, the sensitivity increases to 89%. Using videofluoroscopy and 5 time swallows, the average sensitivity was over 90%. In conclusion, the barium method is a simple primary testing method for esophageal motility test. Using not only the image but also the videofluoroscopy with good knowledge of the anatomy and physiology, it is believed that the method will yield the accurate diagnosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.298-310
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• 1976

A clinical analysis was performed on 118 cases of the benign esophageal diseases experienced at Department of Thoracic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital during 20 year period from 1957 to 1976. Of 118 cases of the benign esophageal diseases, there were 84 patients of esophagenal stenosis, 14 of esophageal perforation, 8 of esophageal atresia, 7 of achalasia, 2 of hiatal hernia, 2 of esophageal foreign body and one of esophageal diverticulum. Fifty-one patients were male and sixty-seven were female, and ages ranged from one day to sixty-four years with peak incidence in the age group of 20 to 29 years. All but one of the esophageal stenosis were caused by corrosive esophagitis and ages ranged from three to sixty-four years with peak incidence in third decade. Main symptoms of the esophageal stenosis were dysphagia, weight loss and chest pain in order and mostly began between one month and one year after ingestion of corrosive agents. Corrosive esophageal stenosis developed most frequently in middle one-third of the esophagus and about one-forth of them were diffuse. Operations were performed on 72 patients of esophageal stenosis of whom 26 patients had esophagocologastrostomy, 21 gastrostomy, 20 esophagogastrostomy, 4 esophagojejunogastrostomy and 2 pharyngogastrostomy. There were 5 deaths in the postoperative period, an operative mortality of 6.9 percent, and 20 patients had one or two complications; eight were anastomotic leaks, 6 gangrenes of replaced loop, 4 wound abscesses and others. The causes of the esophageal perforation were traumatic in 7 cases, caustics in 4 and spontaneous in 3, and the most frequent site of the perforation was lower one-third of the esophagus. Frequent symptoms of the esophageal perforation were pain, fever, dysphagia and dyspnea, and preoperatively there were mediastinitis in 8 cases, empyema in 7, lung abscess in 3 and others. All 14 patients of the esophageal perforation underwent operation: primary closure in 7 cases, drainage in 4, esophagogastrostomy in 2 and 'esophageal diversion in one. There were 4 postoperative deaths and 11 postoperative complications occurred in 7 patients. The duration of symptoms in achalasia was between 3 months and 25 years, with an average duration of 6. 2 years. Frequent symptoms of the achlasia esophagi were dysphagia, regurgitation, pain and weight loss in order. All 7 patients of achlasia underwent modified Heller's operation where 2 patients had complications, restenosis in one and esophageal perforation in another. All 8 patients of congenital esophageal atresia had distal tracheoesophageal fistula and were admitted within 5 days of life, but there were pneumonic consolidation on chest X-ray in patients. Five patients underwent one staged operation with the result of 2 deaths and one anastomotic leak.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.762-774
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• 1984

A clinical analysis was performed on 49 cases of the benign esophageal diseases experienced at Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital during 7 year period from 1977 to 1983. Of 49 cases Of the benign esophageal diseases, there were 19 patients of esophageal stricture, 11 of achalasia, 6 of perforation, 3 of bronchoesophageal fistula, 3 of esophageal perforation, 3 of esophageal leiomyoma and one of esophageal foreign body. Twenty three patients were male and 26 were female. Ages ranged from 4 years to 74 years with the average age of 34.7 years. Of 19 patients of esophageal strictures, 7 patients were male and 12 were female and ages ranged from 6 years to 74 years with the average being 33.8 years. Causes of esophageal strictures were corrosive of esophageal strictures were dysphagia, vomiting, general weakness, weight loss and pain that order and developed on several different parts of esophagus. Operations were performed in 18 cases, of whom 7 patients were performed by esophagocologastrostomy, 4 gastrostomy, 4 esophagogastrostomy, 1 esophageal resection and esophagoesophagostomy, 1 esophagotomy and dilatation and 1 scar revision. Five patients had one or two complications; 2 anastomotic leakage, 1 wound infection, 1 localized empyema, 1 bilateral pneumothorax and 1 respiratory failure. One patient expired due to respiratory failure arising from aspiration pneumonia. The average age of achalasia patients was 33.1 years and symptom durations were from 2 months to 10 years with the average of 3.3 years. Main symptoms were dysphagia, vomiting, weight loss, pain and cough in that order. Modified Hellers myotomy was performed in 11 patients with one complication of restenosis. One patient was operated on by using longitudinal incision and transverse sutures with good result. Of 6 patient of esophageal diverticulum, 2 patients were traction diverticulum on the midesophagus, 2 were pulsion diverticulum on the midesophagus and 2 were pulsion diverticulum on the lower esophagus. Diverticulectomy was performed on 2 cases of traction diverticulum and esophagocardiomyotomy with or without diverticulectomy was erformed on 4 cases of pulsion diverticulum with good results. Of 5 patients of congenital bronchoesophageal fistula, the chief complaints were productive cough in 4 patients and hematemesis without respiratory symptoms in one patient. Two patients were operated on by using fistulectomy only and 3 by fistulectomy with pulmonary lobectomy. Of 3 patients of esophageal perforation, causes were foreign body ingestion, esophageal stricture after ECG and corrosive esophagitis. Two patient were operated on by using drainage and gastrostomy with symptomatic improvement but one patient died due to septic shock after thoracotomy. Three patients of esophageal leiomyoma were all male and 2 patients were operated on by using enucleation and one by distal esophagectomy with esophagogastrostomy. In one patient of esophageal foreign body, it was removed by esophagotomy through the right thoracotomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1123-1128
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• 1996

A clinical study was performed on 152 cases of surgical esophageal disease treated by the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery of Korea University Hospital from Jan. 1989 through July 1994. The most common esophageal disease was cancer which was seen in 73 cases (48%) among 152 cases. All were treated surgically' 52 patients (71%) were managed by curative or palliative resection with reconstruction and feeding gastrostomy or jejunostomy, otherwise Celestine tube insertion was performed on the remaining 21 patients for palliatio'n. Esophageal leiomyoma occurred in 6 cases(3.9%), among them 1 case was performed with trio recoscopic enucleation . Achalasia were in 7 cases (4.6%) and was treated with modified Heller's m otomy and with Belsey Mark IV operation. Diverticulum were in 11 cases (7.2%). Esophageal stricture occurred in 20 cases (14.1 %) and 17 of 20 cases were managed with bypass surgery. Esophageal perforation was seen in 20 cases, its cause was instrumental trauma in 7 cases, stab wound in 4 cases, foreign body in 4 cases, spontaneous perforation in 3 cases, and others 1 case Other disease including congenital lesion was seen In 1 Scases.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.231-242
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• 1983

A clinical study was performed on 75 cases of the esophageal cancer and benign esophageal diseases experienced at Department of thoracic & cardiovascular surgery, School of Medicine, Keimyung University during 3 year period from 1978 to 1982. Of 75 cases of the surgical esophageal diseases, there were 35 patients of the esophageal cancer. 17 patients of benign esophageal stenosis, 10 patients of esophageal perforation, 4 patients of diverticulum. 3 patients of achalasia, 2 patients of congenital T-E fistula, one of upper esophageal web, one of esophageal foreign body, one of leiomyoma and patient of hemangioma. First, esophageal carcinoma was more frequent in men than in women by a ratio of five to one, and the peak incidence occurred in the 5th to 6th decade. Dysphagia was the most common symptom in 88.6 percent of our cases. The tumor was located mostly in the middle & the lower one third [91.4%]. The histological diagnosis was made in 35 cases. The squamous cell carcinoma was the most common [82.9%] and the rest was the adenocarcinoma in the lower one third [17.1%]. Thirty-five cases were operated and resection was feasible in the twenty-five patients [71.4%] with 2 cases of hospital mortality [5.7%]. All but two of the esophageal stenosis were caused by corrosive esophagitis and ages ranged from 7 to 70 years with average age of 32 years. Corrective operations were performed on 17 patients of esophageal stenosis of whom 12 patients had esophagocologastrostomy, 3 patients esophagogastrostomy and in non-corrosive esophageal stenosis one case and esophagoplasty and another case had release of external compression. There was one complication of stenosis of the esophageal perforation were traumatic in five cases, empyema in three cases, caustics in one case and postemetic in one case. 10 patients of the esophageal perforation underwent operation: primary closure in 5 cases, two staged colon interposition in 2, esophagogastrostomy in 1 and closed thoracotomy in 2 cases There were 2 complications of leakage of anastomosis sites in postoperative period. 4 patients of traction type of diverticulum underwent diverticulectomy & 3 patients of achalasia underwent modified Heller`s operation. 2 patients of congenital esophageal atresia had distal tracheoesophageal fistula & underwent one staged operation with the results of one death caused by pneumonia. Upper esophageal web had divulsion through the esophagoscope and foreign body in upper esophagus was removed through cervical esophagotomy. One case of leiomyoma in esophagus had esophagectomy and reconstruction with right colon. And one case of hemangioma in esophagus had esophagectomy & esophagogastrostomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.627-632
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• 1993

A clinical study was performed on 64 cases of the esophageal diseases experienced at the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery of Kyungpook University Hospital from Jan. 1988 through Dec. 1992. The results were as follows: The most common esophageal disease was cancer which occurred in 37.5% of the total. In esophageal cancer patients, 24 cases were operated on and cancer resection was feasible in 19 cases with 2 cases of hospital death. The overall 1 year survival rate was 41.6% and the most favorable follow up result was revealed in stage I group. Esophageal stricture occurred in 22 cases and its causes were alkali and acid. The most common stricture site was mid-esphagus. Colon interposition was performed on 15 cases. Achalasia occured in 8 cases and was treated with modified Heller`s myotomy. Esophageal perforation occurred in 6 cases and its operative mortality rate was 16.6%. Two patients with congenital bronchoesophageal fistula were treated with surgical division. The first case, which occurred in an adult, is of Braimbridge,s typeII classification. The second one which occured in an child with sequestration, is of Braimbridge,s type IV classification. Diverticulectomy was performed in 1 case of esophageal diverticulum. Enucleation of tumor was performed in 1 case of esophageal leiomyoma.