title: Duodenal perforation by a Linton-Nachlas balloon tube.
abstract: In a patient with bleeding esophageal varices, inadvertent inflation of a Linton-Nachlas balloon in the third portion of the duodenum led to bowel perforation and death. This complication emphasizes a potential problem in passing a balloon catheter as far as possible down the nares, a technique that has been suggested to prevent balloon catheter inflation in the esophagus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of duodenal rupture from attempted balloon tamponade for variceal hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Wellesley Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kandel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Carruthers
mesh_terms: D021721:Balloon Occlusion; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D004378:Duodenal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged