Written by Nahir Abdel Nabi
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 06:00 AM
The esophagus is the food pipe or swallowing tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. A tear of the esophagus is a medical emergency. Esophageal tears (holes in the wall of the esophagus) allow food, bacteria, and chemicals to escape through. esophagus into the chest cavity and thus a tear or perforation of the esophagus can lead to infection, inflammation and other serious complications.
And according to what was mentioned by the healthy website, esophageal perforations are dangerous because they can lead to severe infections in the chest, lungs, and bloodstream. It is crucial to confirm the diagnosis and treat the esophageal rupture within 24 hours to get a good result.
Who is at risk of esophageal rupture?
Anyone can develop an esophageal perforation. However, some people are more likely to develop an esophageal tear, including those with chronic acid reflux, esophageal diverticulum, esophagitis, esophageal cancer, radiation therapy, esophageal surgery, and alcohol abusers.
What causes an esophageal rupture?
– injuries
The most common cause of an esophageal tear is injury. This can be an internal injury, for example, from the ingestion of a caustic chemical or a foreign object (such as animal bone), and it can be an external, blunt or penetrating injury, for example, from a stab or cut gunshot or car accident.
Iatrogenic perforation
Esophageal perforations sometimes occur during a medical procedure, such as a laparoscopic procedure. Esophageal tears can also occur during surgeries such as Nissen fundoplication (performed to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease). An esophageal tear that occurs during surgical or medical procedures is called an injury. Iatrogenic esophagitis.
Boerhaave syndrome
Rarely, the underlying cause of an esophageal tear may be excessive pressure on the esophagus from vomiting, weight lifting, or childbirth. This type of spontaneous tear is called Boerhaave syndrome.
What happens if the esophagus ruptures?
As mentioned earlier, a tear in the esophagus allows food, bacteria, and caustic chemicals to enter the chest cavity, and this can lead to potentially life-threatening infections in the lungs, chest, and bloodstream. For this reason, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of an esophageal tear and go to the nearest emergency room for treatment. .
What are the symptoms of esophageal rupture?
The most common symptoms of esophageal perforation are severe vomiting or violent vomiting, vomiting blood, difficulty swallowing, chest pain, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, nausea, fever, and hypotension.
Most esophageal tears occur in the middle or lower part of the esophagus, located in the chest. If the esophageal perforation is higher, you may feel pain in your neck or right shoulder, and air bubbles may appear under the skin. Lower esophageal perforations can cause abdominal pain.
