Abstract
A 76-year-old woman suddenly had epigastralgia and dyspnea after vomiting of polyethylene glycol electrolyte lavage solution in the bowel preparation for colonoscopy. Emergency upper endoscopy showed the laceration at the gastro-esophageal junction and chest CT scan revealed the existence of mediastinal emphysema and bilateral pleural effusions. Consequently, she was diagnosed as having spontaneous esophageal rupture and admitted to our hospital. Conservative therapy was given to her because she had little mediastinal pollution and none of complications such as mediastinal abscess, pneumothrax, and emphysema. After the conservative therapy, the disappearance of the laceration, mediastinal emphysema, and pleural effusions were demonstrated by gastroesophageal fluorography and chest CT scan.
Here we present this case because spontaneous esophageal rupture due to vomiting is rare. We suggest that conservative therapy may be useful for a patient with spontaneous esophageal rupture if little mediastinal pollution, only slight symptom and inflammation are observed.
