Intramural esophageal dissection.

A case of intramural esophageal dissection is reported and the literature reviewed. Patients with intramural esophageal dissection are usually women in their seventh or eighth decade. The most common presenting symptoms are chest pain, dysphagia, and hematemesis. The diagnosis is made by contrast esophagography, esophagoscopy, or both. Nonoperative therapy has proved to be uniformly successful.