Abstract
BACKGROUND: Preoperative diagnostic evaluation (PDE) of penetrating esophageal injury (PeEsIn) can delay treatment and increase morbidity. We sought to study the relationship among PDE, delay in definitive treatment, and patient mortality in PeEsIn. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 2008-2010 National Trauma Data Banks were queried for PeEsIn. Exclusion criteria were death within 1 day of injury, and missing data about survival to discharge or operative intervention. Data extracted included demographics, vital signs, injury severity, diagnostic procedures (endoscopy, computed tomography, and fluoroscopy), time to procedures and/or operation, hospital-free days, and mortality. RESULTS: Of 280 patients, 75 underwent PDE and 205 did not. There were no significant differences in baseline demographics, vital signs or injury severity between the two groups. The median time to the first operation was shorter in the nonPDE cohort compared to the PDE cohort (2 vs. 3 h; P = 0.018). Median hospital-free days at day 60 were significantly less in nonPDE (42 days, interquartile range ([IQR] = [28, 50]) versus PDE patients (47 days, IQR = [38, 51]) (P = 0.007). Mortality was not statistically different. CONCLUSIONS: PDE in PeEsIn slightly delays the time to operation without worsening mortality, and is a predictor of more hospital-free days.