Esophageal ruptures

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Esophageal ruptures are tears that penetrate the wall of the esophagus.

Ruptures can be caused by surgical procedures, severe vomiting, or swallowing a large piece of food that becomes stuck in the esophagus, but some ruptures occur spontaneously.
Symptoms include chest and abdominal pain, fever, and low blood pressure.
Esophageal rupture can be fatal.
The diagnosis is based on the results of x-rays
Treatment is surgical repair.

The esophagus is the hollow tube that leads from the throat (pharynx) to the stomach. (See also Overview of the Esophagus and Overview of Esophageal Injuries.)
Rupture of the esophagus is a very serious condition that is usually caused during endoscopy (examination of the esophagus with a flexible viewing tube) or other procedures in which instruments are inserted through the mouth and throat. Ruptures also may occur during vomiting, retching, or swallowing a large piece of food that becomes stuck in the esophagus. Such rupture is called Boerhaave syndrome. Some ruptures occur spontaneously.
An esophageal rupture allows air, stomach acid, and/or food to leave the esophagus, which causes severe inflammation in the chest (mediastinitis). Fluid may collect around the lungs, a condition called pleural effusion.