This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Rui Haddad Permission Requests Google Scholar Articles by Haddad, R. Articles by Antonio Marsico, G. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Haddad, R. Articles by Antonio Marsico, G. Related Collections Mediastinum Trachea and bronchi Esophagus - cancer Esophagus - other

Symptomatic mucocele after esophageal exclusion

Thoracic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Thoracic Diseases Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

*Corresponding author. Rua Barão de Lucena 48, Sala 03 22260-020, Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Tel./fax: +55-21-33221545.

E-mail address: haddad{at}ufrj.br, rhaddad{at}globo.com (R. Haddad).

Surgical exclusion of the thoracic esophagus can result in the accumulation of secretions and dilatation of the esophageal remnant, a clinical picture known as esophageal mucocele. Although it is usually asymptomatic, if it increases in size it can produce a variety of compressive symptoms such as coughing, chest pain and respiratory distress. We present two cases of symptomatic mucocele after esophageal exclusion treated successfully with surgical resection. We believe that surgical resection should be considered for symptomatic patients, and that esophageal bypass surgery should be used with caution and indicated mostly in patients with a limited life span or with contraindications for esophagectomy.

Key Words: Esophageal mucocele; Complication esophageal bypass; Mediastinum; Cyst