title: Spontaneous oesophageal perforation as a complication of vomiting in gastroenteritis -- case report.
abstract: This is a case report of oesophageal perforation as the complication of a commonly encountered benign disease -- gastroenteritis. A 68-year-old man first presented to the Emergency Department complaining of watery diarrhoea. He was treated and discharged. He re-attended 5 h later complaining of epigastric pain radiating to his back, vomiting bloodstained fluid and persistent watery diarrhoea. Again, he was treated and discharged. He re-attended 3 days later complaining of anorexia, cough, dyspnoea and right-sided chest pain radiating to his back, and subjective weight loss in the previous few days. Chest X-ray revealed right pleural effusion, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema in the supraclavicular fossae. Computed chest tomogram and water-soluble contrast swallow confirmed 'spontaneous' oesophageal perforation. Although rare, this entity must be considered in any acutely ill patient complaining of respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, especially after recent vomiting.
authors.affiliation: Accident and Emergency Department, North District Hospital, Hong Kong, Peoples' Republic of China. chung@ha.org.hk
authors.forename: Chin Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D013577:Syndrome; D013997:Time Factors; D014839:Vomiting / Q000150:complications*