Successful drainage of a mediastinal abscess via an esophago-mediastinal fistula complicating radiotherapy for esophageal cancer: a case report.

Radiotherapy is now commonly employed in patients with inoperable esophageal cancer which invased neighbor organs directly. A rare, but often fatal complication of radiotherapy is perforation with mediastinal abscess. We successfully treated a 65-year-old male patient who developed an esophageal cancer with trans-esophageal drainage and irrigation. This technique may also be useful in the treatment of patients with anastomotic leaks after esophagectomy or idiopathic esophageal rupture.