EXPERIMENTAL ESOPHAGEAL AND PHARYNGOCERVICAL FISTULA

ESOPHAGEAL fistulas in the laboratory animal have been utilized for a variety of experimental purposes. Pavlov and Schumova-Simanovskaia 1 used dogs with cervical and gastric fistulas in their studies on the relationship of the vagus nerves to gastric secretion. Pavlov 2 states that neck infection in the dog is serious and often fatal. In 1929 Saint and Mann 3 cited the appalling mortality associated with experimental surgery of the esophagus and called attention to the factors of poor blood supply and lack of a true serosa. Saint 4 later stressed the risk of fatal infection of the pleura and the cellular tissues of the neck. Allen 5 mentions the frequency of mediastinitis during the course of experimental surgery when the lumen of the esophagus is opened. After the clinical experiences of Sturgeon 6 and Lahey 7 with esophageal diverticulas, both Allen 5 and Markowitz 8 advocated the use of two