Mallory–Weiss syndrome

Mallory–Weiss syndrome
Mallory–Weiss tear affecting the esophageal side of the gastroesophageal junction
Classification and external resources
Specialty	gastroenterology
ICD-10	K22.6
ICD-9-CM	530.7
DiseasesDB	7803
MedlinePlus	000269
eMedicine	ped/1359
Patient UK	Mallory–Weiss syndrome
MeSH	D008309

Mallory–Weiss syndrome or gastro-esophageal laceration syndrome refers to bleeding from a laceration in the mucosa at the junction of the stomach and esophagus. This is usually caused by severe vomiting because of alcoholism or bulimia, but can be caused by any conditions which causes violent vomiting and retching such as food poisoning. The syndrome presents with painful hematemesis. The laceration is sometimes referred to as a Mallory-Weiss tear.

Causes

It is often associated with alcoholism^[1] and eating disorders and there is some evidence that presence of a hiatal hernia is a predisposing condition. Forceful vomiting causes tear of the mucosa at the junction.

NSAID abuse is also a rare association. The tear involves mucosa and submucosa but not the muscular layer (contrast to Boerhaave syndrome which involves all the layers).^[2] The mean age is more than 60 and 80% are men. Hyperemesis gravidarum, which is severe morning sickness associated with vomiting and retching in pregnancy, is also a known cause of Mallory-Weiss tear.^[3]

Presentation

Mallory–Weiss syndrome often presents as an episode of vomiting up blood (hematemesis) after violent retching or vomiting, but may also be noticed as old blood in the stool (melena), and a history of retching may be absent.

In most cases, the bleeding stops spontaneously after 24–48 hours, but endoscopic or surgical treatment is sometimes required and rarely the condition is fatal. There won't be any abdominal pain.

Diagnosis

Definitive diagnosis is by endoscopy.

Treatment

Treatment is usually supportive as persistent bleeding is uncommon. However cauterization or injection of epinephrine^[4] to stop the bleeding may be undertaken during the index endoscopy procedure. Very rarely embolization of the arteries supplying the region may be required to stop the bleeding. If all other methods fail, high gastrostomy can be used to ligate the bleeding vessel. It is to be noted that the tube will not be able to stop bleeding as here the bleeding is arterial and the pressure in the balloon is not sufficient to overcome the arterial pressure.

History

The condition was first described in 1929 by G. Kenneth Mallory and Soma Weiss in 15 alcoholic patients.^[5]

References

↑ Caroli A, Follador R, Gobbi V, Breda P, Ricci G (1989). "[Mallory-Weiss syndrome. Personal experience and review of the literature]". Minerva dietologica e gastroenterologica (in Italian) 35 (1): 7–12. PMID 2657497.
↑ Boerhaave Syndrome at eMedicine
↑ Parva M, Finnegan M, Keiter C, Mercogliano G, Perez CM (August 2009). "Mallory-Weiss tear diagnosed in the immediate postpartum period: a case report". J Obstet Gynaecol Can 31 (8): 740–3. PMID 19772708.
↑ Gawrieh S, Shaker R (2005). "Treatment of actively bleeding Mallory-Weiss syndrome: epinephrine injection or band ligation?". Current gastroenterology reports 7 (3): 175. PMID 15913474.
↑ Weiss S, Mallory GK (1932). "Lesions of the cardiac orifice of the stomach produced by vomiting". Journal of the American Medical Association 98: 1353–5. doi:10.1001/jama.1932.02730420011005.

Diseases of the digestive system (primarily K20–K93, 530–579)

Upper GI tract

Esophagus	Esophagitis Candidal Eosinophilic Herpetiform Rupture Boerhaave syndrome Mallory-Weiss syndrome UES Zenker's diverticulum LES Barrett's esophagus Esophageal motility disorder Nutcracker esophagus Achalasia Diffuse esophageal spasm Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) Esophageal stricture Megaesophagus

Stomach	Gastritis Atrophic Ménétrier's disease Gastroenteritis Peptic (gastric) ulcer Cushing ulcer Dieulafoy's lesion Dyspepsia Pyloric stenosis Achlorhydria Gastroparesis Gastroptosis Portal hypertensive gastropathy Gastric antral vascular ectasia Gastric dumping syndrome Gastric volvulus

Lower GI tract:
Intestinal/
Enteropathy

Small intestine (Duodenum/Jejunum/Ileum)	Enteritis Duodenitis Jejunitis Ileitis Peptic (duodenal) ulcer Curling's ulcer Malabsorption: Coeliac Tropical sprue Blind loop syndrome Small bowel bacterial overgrowth syndrome Whipple's Short bowel syndrome Steatorrhea Milroy disease bile acid malabsorption

Large intestine (Appendix/Colon)	Appendicitis Colitis Pseudomembranous Ulcerative Ischemic Microscopic Collagenous Lymphocytic Functional colonic disease IBS Intestinal pseudoobstruction / Ogilvie syndrome Megacolon / Toxic megacolon Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis

Large and/or small	Enterocolitis Necrotizing Gastroenterocolitis IBD Crohn's disease Vascular: Abdominal angina Mesenteric ischemia Angiodysplasia Bowel obstruction: Ileus Intussusception Volvulus Fecal impaction Constipation Diarrhea Infectious Intestinal adhesions

Rectum	Proctitis Radiation proctitis Proctalgia fugax Rectal prolapse Anismus

Anal canal	Anal fissure/Anal fistula Anal abscess Anal dysplasia Pruritus ani

GI bleeding/BIS

Accessory

Liver	Hepatitis Viral hepatitis Autoimmune hepatitis Alcoholic hepatitis Cirrhosis PBC Fatty liver NASH Vascular Budd-Chiari syndrome Hepatic veno-occlusive disease Portal hypertension Nutmeg liver Alcoholic liver disease Liver failure Hepatic encephalopathy Acute liver failure Liver abscess Pyogenic Amoebic Hepatorenal syndrome Peliosis hepatis Metabolic disorders Wilson's Disease Hemochromatosis

Gallbladder	Cholecystitis Gallstones/Cholecystolithiasis Cholesterolosis Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses Postcholecystectomy syndrome Porcelain gallbladder

Bile duct/ Other biliary tree	Cholangitis Primary sclerosing cholangitis Secondary sclerosing cholangitis Ascending Cholestasis/Mirizzi's syndrome Biliary fistula Haemobilia Gallstones/Cholelithiasis Common bile duct Choledocholithiasis Biliary dyskinesia Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction

Pancreatic	Pancreatitis Acute Chronic Hereditary Pancreatic abscess Pancreatic pseudocyst Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency Pancreatic fistula

Abdominopelvic

Hernia	Diaphragmatic Congenital Hiatus Inguinal Indirect Direct Umbilical Femoral Obturator Spigelian Lumbar Petit's Grynfeltt-Lesshaft Undefined location Incisional Internal hernia

Peritoneal	Peritonitis Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis Hemoperitoneum Pneumoperitoneum

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