Seatbelt Injury Causing Perforation of the Cervical Esophagus: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Blunt trauma to the head and neck is a rare cause of cervical esophageal perforation. We report a cervical esophageal perforation caused by compression by a shoulder-harness seatbelt during a high-speed motor vehicle crash. We are not aware of a similar case in the trauma literature.