Surgical treatment of late esophageal perforations.

The salvage of patients with late esophageal perforations is a formidable surgical undertaking. The basic objectives of surgical therapy should be: prompt debridement and control of sepsis by establishing an adequate, controlled route of decompression drainage, salvage of all viable and functional esophagus (except in massive disruptions with circumferential loss), adequate support of life control systems, and establishment of an appropriate alternate route for supportive alimentation. The method of treatment used in the group of patients reported here satisfies all these objectives. Our experience justifies further consideration of this technique in dealing with this catastrophic illness.