Boerhaave's syndrome, the spontaneous rupture of the esophagus, is associated with a 35% death rate. Perforated esophagus is a surgical emergency; it is the most serious, and frequently the most rapidly lethal, perforation of the gastro-intestinal tract. Three cases of Boerhaave's syndrome are presented, with their variants and resolutions. Treatment and outcome are largely determined by the time of presentation. We reviewed our experience with esophageal perforations to determine the overall mortality and whether the time of presentation should influence management strategy.

A 49yrs old, male patient presented progressive dysphagia during the last two years, initially to solids and, since two weeks, liquids he had lost 15 kilos. Esophagogram showed an intraluminal lesion with regular mucosa in the middle third of esophagus. The esophagoscopy exhibits regular mucosa up to the lesion, which did not alow passage. There was no evidence of linfonodal disease at CT scan. The hypothesis of esophageal leiomyoma led this patient a right posterior thoracotomy and enucleation of a 30 x 30 mm mass from the esophageal wall. With this case report we intend to review esophageal leiomyomas and their diagnosis and treatment (Rev. Col. Bras. Cir. 2006; 33(1): 55-56).

A esofagite de refluxo associada ao epitélio de colunar do esôfago predispõe ao adenocarcinoma, cuja incidência vem aumentando nos últimos anos. Entre 1976 e 1993, os autores trataram 11 pacientes com adenocarcinoma primário do esôfago. Em dois casos, a neoplasia desenvolveu-se em epitélio colunar ectópico no esôfago cervical e torácico. Nos demais casos, ocorreu no terço distal do esôfago em epitélio colunar de Barrett, em pacientes com sintomas clínicos de esofagite de refluxo, dos quais sete eram portadores de hérnia de hiato e refluxo gastroesofágico previamente documentados. Nove pacientes foram submetidos a esofagectomia transiatal com esofagogastroplastia, um foi submetido a esofagectomia distal com interposição de jejuno e o último a esofagogastroplastia retroestemal sem esofagectomia. A exceção de três pacientes, os demais tiveram operações consideradas curativas. Cinco doentes encontravam-se em estádios mais iniciais, ainda sem comprometimento linfonodal. Não houve mortalidade operatória, sendo que as principais complicações foram a fístula da anastomose esofagogástrica e a abertura da cavidade pleural, ambas ocorrendo em dois pacientes. A sobrevida média dos pacientes foi de 40,5 meses. Três pacientes permanecem vivos e sem evidência de doença (estádio 0, I e IIA) com 64, 94 e 117 meses de seguimento. Concluiu-se que a esofagectomia neste tipo de tumor é um procedimento seguro e que a sobrevida a longo prazo é possível quando os tumores em estadio inicial são tratados adequadamente.

Aim To evaluate rupture pressures of tissue adhesives of cyanoacrylate (Omnex®) and fibrin (Evicel®), used as reinforcement in colonic suture from “ex vivo” swine. Methods Surgical procedures were performed in the Surgical Technique Laboratory. From a division in segments of 10 cm of descending colon and sigmoid colon from three “ex vivo” female swine, Landrace breed, which were resected in less than six hours after the slaughter time, 30 segments were selected, 10 of each animal. They were stored in saline solution 0.9% at 36 °C, being randomly allocated in three groups (Control, Evicel and Omnex), each one containing 10 segments. Results The lower and higher pressure values found in the groups Control, Evicel and Omnex were 36 mmHg and 41 mmHg, 70 mmHg and 90 mmHg, 90 mmHg and 120 mmHg, respectively. Containing statistical significance (p-value <0.0001) concerning the 2 to 2 comparisons (Control, Evicel and Omnex) with 95% trusting rate based on the application of the Turkey Method. Conclusion One concludes that the use of tissue adhesives in anastomoses colonic in an experimental animal model of “ex vivo” swine increased the anastomoses rupture pressures. Among the tested adhesives, cyanoacrylate presented higher rupture pressure in relation to fibrin adhesive.