[en] Esophageal perforation with subsequent formation of a mediastinal abscess is a well-recognized clinical entity. Causes include perforation following rigid and fiberoptic endoscopy, bouginage, breakdown of surgical anastomoses, and protracted vomiting. No matter what the cause, this disorder is associated with a high morbidity and, in patients in whom no intervention occurs, a definite mortality. In the past, surgery has been the treatment of choice. Although percutaneous drainage techniques have been utilized in some cases, they are frequently less attractive due to the location of the esophagus and its proximity to thoracic organs and vascular structures. The authors drained a total of eight esophageal perforations through a transesophageal route with minimal patient morbidity. The authors report these cases with discussion of the techniques and patient follow-up