Mallory-Weiss syndrome is a disease characterized by a sudden increase in pressure in the esophagus, which can happen due to frequent vomiting, severe coughing, vomiting anxieties or constant hiccups, resulting in abdominal or chest pain and vomiting with blood.
The treatment of the syndrome should be guided by the gastroenterologist or general practitioner according to the signs and symptoms presented by the person and the severity of the bleeding, and it is often necessary for the person to be admitted to the hospital to receive adequate care and avoid complications.
Causes of Mallory-Weiss syndrome
Mallory-Weiss syndrome can happen as a consequence of any condition that increases pressure in the esophagus, being the main causes:
- Bulimia nervosa; Deep cough; Constant hiccups; Chronic alcoholism; Strong blow to the chest or abdomen; Gastritis; Esophagitis; Great physical effort; Gastroesophageal reflux.
In addition, Mallory-Weiss syndrome may also be related to hiatus hernia, which corresponds to a small structure that is formed when a portion of the stomach passes through a small hole, the hiatus, however more studies need to be carried out to confirm that hiatal hernia is also one of the causes of Mallory-Weiss syndrome. Learn more about hiatus hernia.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms of Mallory-Weiss syndrome are:
- Bloody vomiting; Very dark and foul-smelling stools; Excessive tiredness; Abdominal pain; Nausea and dizziness.
These symptoms can also indicate other gastric problems, such as ulcers or gastritis, for example, and that is why it is recommended to go to the emergency room to have an endoscopy, diagnose the problem and start the appropriate treatment.
How is the treatment
Treatment for Mallory-Weiss syndrome should be guided by a gastroenterologist or general practitioner and is usually initiated on admission to the hospital to stop bleeding and stabilize the patient's general condition. During hospitalization, it may be necessary to receive serum directly into the vein or make blood transfusions to compensate for blood loss and prevent the patient from going into shock.
Thus, after stabilizing the general condition, the doctor orders an endoscopy to see if the lesion in the esophagus continues to bleed. Depending on the outcome of the endoscopy, treatment is appropriate as follows:
- Bleeding injury: the doctor uses a small device that goes down the endoscopy tube to close the damaged blood vessels and stop the bleeding; Non-bleeding injury: the gastroenterologist prescribes antacid medications, such as Omeprazole or Ranitidine, to protect the injury site and facilitate healing.
Surgery for Mallory-Weiss syndrome is only used in the most severe cases, where the doctor cannot stop the bleeding during endoscopy, requiring surgery to stitch the lesion. After treatment, the doctor can also schedule several appointments and other endoscopy exams to ensure that the lesion is healing properly.
