Oesophageal perforation and rupture (OPR or EPR )

The oesophagus/esophagus is a crucial component of the upper gastrointestinal tract, serving as a dynamic conduit for the passage of food and liquids from the pharynx to the stomach. Anatomically, it is a muscular tube, approximately 25 centimetres in length in adults, that extends from the level of the sixth cervical vertebra (C6) down to the stomach at the tenth thoracic vertebra (T10).

Beginning posterior to the larynx at the cricopharyngeus muscle, which forms the upper oesophagal sphincter, the oesophagus traverses the neck, enters the thoracic inlet, and passes through the mediastinum before piercing the diaphragm. Notably, it lacks a serosal layer, which is present in the rest of the gastrointestinal tract, rendering it more susceptible to injury and rupture. Instead, it is enveloped in a fibroareolar connective tissue that provides a continuous sheath with neighbouring structures in the neck and thorax.