ESOPHAGEAL PERFORATION AND TEARS

Course overview

ESOPHAGEAL PERFORATION POSES A SIGNIFICANT INTERPROFESSIONAL CHALLENGE TO THE ENTIRE THERAPEUTIC TEAM. IT CAN OCCUR IN THREE DIFFERENT ANATOMICAL COMPARTMENTS AND THEREFORE PRESENTS WITH DIVERSE SYMPTOMS; MOST OF THEM ARE HIGHLY NON-SPECIFIC WHICH CAN SIGNIFICANTLY DELAY THE TIME BETWEEN PERFORATION AND FINAL DIAGNOSIS. DESPITE THE MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN THE AVAILABILITY OF DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES AND THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES, ESOPHAGEAL PERFORATION REMAINS A DIRECT LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION WITH MORTALITY RATES REACHING AS HIGH AS 50%. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSE, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, AND PRESENTATION OF ESOPHAGEAL PERFORATION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.