DISEASES OF THE ŒSOPHAGUS. 



49 



is little known. Stockfleth, relying on the observations of Col- 

 lins^ and Moisant,^ advises excision of an elliptic flap from the 

 wall of the dilatation, and suturing the edges of the œsophageal 

 wound. In proceeding thus, Schindelka obtained a success in the 

 horse. 



3. Strictures of the Œsophagus. 



Etiolog-y. Constriction of the œsophagus is produced by a 

 variable mechanism. According to Zenker, it is sometimes con- 

 genital ; this is the rarest form. It may be determined by new 

 formations comprising the canal at a certain part of its length. 

 We may specially mention scrofulous tumors, actino my comas, 

 lymphomata, peri-œsophageal abscesses, tuberculosis of the bron- 

 €hial and of the mediastinal ganglions, especially in the ox (lipo- 

 mata, RufiFert), aneurism of the aorta, melanosis (Bruckmuller) ; 

 these lesions compress the œsophagus laterally or surround it 

 completely. 



Constrictions through obturation are quite common ; they are 

 mostly due to encysted foreign bodies, to papillary fibroma in the 

 ox (Schiitz), to tumors produced by the Spiroptera sanguinolenta in 

 the dog, and even to muscular hypertrophy (Anacker). 



Constriction may, again, be provoked by cicatricial retraction 

 consecutive to a scarification, and to a wound or a cancer of the 

 œsophagus. This variety is called stricture. According to Stock- 

 fleth, stricture sometimes appears under the form of a thickened 

 muff on a rugous surface, and sometimes in annular shape, the 

 free edge of the ring advancing into the lumen of the canal and 

 forming a kind of valve. Spasmodic constrictions will be de- 

 scribed under Spasm of the Œsophagus. 



Dilatation of the œsophagus always accompanies constrictions, 

 as mentioned above ; the manifestations provoked, therefore, by 

 these two affections are almost similar in most cases. In the ox, 

 however, constriction produces a special symptom : chronio tympa- 

 nites (Luatti, Legrand, Johne, Haubner, etc.). The ordinary cause 

 of œsophageal constriction in this animal being a tuberculous 

 ganglional hypertrophy, if tympanites is added to these vague 

 symptoms of tuberculosis (cough, emaciation, sub-dulness, pleuritic 

 friction), it may become of value in establishing the diagnosis of 



1 Journal de Lyon, 1857. 



4 



2 Recueil Vet., 1860. 



