[Acute obstruction of the esophagus by mucilage].

The authors present the case of an 84 year-old woman with chronic constipation who suddenly developed acute obstruction of the lower oesophagus on taking a tablespoonful of mucilage without water. The obstruction was relieved by fiber endoscopy. There was no other previous lesion which might explain this complication. The patient was seen again later in good general health. The authors recall the clinical and radiological signs of acute obstruction of the oesophagus and discuss the physiopathology. They propose treating them exclusively by oesophageal fiber endoscopy.