Superior omohyoid muscle flap repair of cervical esophageal perforation induced by spinal hardware.

Cervical esophageal perforation is a rare and life-threatening condition. Its prompt diagnosis and treatment require a high index of suspicion. Cervical spine hardware is an uncommon cause of posterior esophageal perforation. Management has included a variety of musculofascial flaps for surgical repair. We present 2 cases of cervical esophageal perforation induced by spinal hardware that were repaired with a superior omohyoid muscle (SOM) flap for closure and/or primary closure reinforcement. Advantages and techniques of the SOM flap are discussed.