Trauma to the esophagus.

We have classified esophageal trauma into three major categories: (1) Iatrogenic trauma including endoscopic perforation, trauma due to dilatation, surgical trauma, tube trauma, radiation trauma, and drug trauma; (2) Self-induced trauma including foreign bodies, corrosive or drug ingestion, and postemetic trauma; (3) Direct trauma including penetrating trauma and blunt trauma. Discussion and illustrative cases are presented.