We have experienced 6 cases of esophageal perforation from September, 1988 to June, 1993, in the department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chungang Univesity Hospital and obtained the following results. The number of male patients was 5, and female 1.The causes of esophageal perforations were spontaneous, post-emetic in 2 cases, spur of cervical spine in 1 case, foreign body in 1 case, surgical trauma in 1 case and blunt trauma in 1 case. Perforation developed in cervical esophagus in I case,and others in distal third of the esophagus. One case needed only conservative treatment, and others needed surgical intervention minor or major. There were 2 mortality cases, and 2 cases healed satisfactorily without complication, 2 cases had complications that needed reoperations.