A national survey on esophageal perforation: study of cases at accredited institutions by the Japanese Esophagus Society

Objective To get a clear view of the current state of treatment for esophageal perforation in Japan. Summary background data Esophagus perforations are the most serious gastrointestinal tract perforations and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. The optimal treatment choice remains unknown. Methods We conducted a retrospective clinical review of 182 esophageal perforation cases at 108 hospitals accredited by the Japanese Esophageal Society between January 2010 and December 2015. Results We found that 20.9% of patients were incorrectly diagnosed initially. We observed mediastinum emphysema in 83.5% of patients, and serious abscess formations of the mediastinum and intrathoracic cavity in 38.6% and 29.6%, respectively. The lower esophagus was the most commonly perforated site (77.7%). Management of esophageal perforations included nonoperative treatment in 20 patients (11%) and operative treatment in 162 patients (89%). The overall mortality rate was 6.9%. The survivors had significantly shorter times from symptom appearance to visit (p = 0.0016), and from time to visit to diagnosis confirmation (p = 0.0011). Moreover, patients older than 65 years, white blood cells less than 3000/mm(3), C-reactive protein > 10 mg/L, or abscesses in the thoracic cavity showed significantly higher mortality than others. Conclusion Shortening the time from onset to the start of treatment contributes to reduce mortality in patients with esophageal perforation. Moreover, strict medical treatment is necessary to lower the mortality rate of elderly patients with strong inflammation and abscesses in the thoracic cavity.