ArticleDiagnostic cytopathology2026
Cytologic Findings in Esophageal Perforation: An Institutional Experience With Pleural Fluid Specimens.
Article in Diagnostic cytopathology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionEsophageal perforation (EP) is a rare but life-threatening condition, and most cases are due to iatrogenic causes. The rest occur spontaneously, due to malignancies, or trauma. The mortality rates can approach 50%, and delayed diagnosis of EP exacerbates patient outcomes. Cytologic recognition of pleural fluid specimens with oropharyngeal contents (e.g., squamous cells, Candida species) or food/foreign material can expedite the diagnosis of EP. This study presents our institution's experience with cytologic findings in EP patients. MATERIALS AND
methodsWe reviewed our institutional database over a 25-year period to identify pleural fluid cytology specimens from EP patients. Data on patient demographics, clinical history, and microbiology culture results were collected. Slides were assessed for squamous cells, food/foreign material, and infectious organisms.
resultsEleven pleural fluid cytology specimens from 10 patients with EP (seven males, three females; mean age 68 years) were retrieved. Three cases were atypical, and eight were negative for malignancy. Mortality occurred in four (40%) patients within a mean of 2.2 months post-EP diagnosis. The majority of EP causes were iatrogenic (82%) or associated with malignancy (55%). Squamous cells were present in 27% of specimens, while food/foreign material and fungi were identified in 36% and 9% of cases, respectively. Cultures were positive in seven (64%) patients, with 46% showing bacterial growth and 55% positive for fungal organisms.
conclusionsOur experience corroborates that EP carries a high mortality risk, underscoring the need for prompt diagnosis. Although Candida species were present in only a small subset of pleural fluid samples, the presence of squamous cells or food/foreign material is a helpful diagnostic clue of EP, particularly in patients with a history of recent medical manipulation or malignancy involving the esophagus. Our findings highlight the potential of identifying involved pleural fluid cytology specimens to decrease the time to diagnosis of EP.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.