This 36 year old woman experienced repeated episode of severe vomiting and retching after an episode of presumed food poisoning. After several days, she began to vomit blood and was hospitalized in the Sewickely Hospital Critical Care Unit. The bleeding was severe. She lost over half of her blood volume and required transfusion of 6 pints of blood After stabilization, a gastroscopy "scope" test was performed at the bedside. She was found to have this tear in the lining of her esophagus. This was caused by the protracted forceful retching. The bleeding was stopped without the need for surgery by cauterizing the bleeding site thruough the gastroscope and she was later released. The medical term for this condition is Mallory-Weiss Syndrome. It is most often seen in alcoholic binge drinking, but can occur in anyone who vomits forcefully.

Text & Images Courtesy of Three Rivers Endoscopy Center
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