Esophageal perforation associated with cervical spine surgery: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Background/aims: Esophageal perforation after anterior cervical spine surgery is a rare complication with various clinical presentations and treatments.

Methods: Two cases of esophageal perforation after anterior cervical spine surgery are described, one occurring in the immediate postoperative period and one several years after plate stabilization of the cervical spine.

Results: Primary suturing of the acute perforation and diversion of the salivary flow by means of T-tube placement after delayed presentation allowed successful healing of the esophageal defects.

Molecular characterization of chromosome 22 deletions in schwannomas.

Schwannomas are tumors of the cranial, spinal, and peripheral nerve sheaths that originate from Schwann cells. Acoustic neurinomas are the most frequent cranial schwannomas. They might develop sporadically or in the context of neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2).