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©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 7, 2005; 11(41): 6563-6565
Published online Nov 7, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i41.6563
Published online Nov 7, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i41.6563
Esophageal rupture due to Sengstaken-Blakemore tube misplacement
Chee-Fah Chong, Emergency Department, Shin-Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr Chee-Fah Chong, School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, No. 510 Chung-Cheng Road, Hsin-Chuang Hsih, Taipei Hsien, Taipei 24205, Taiwan, China. m002202@ms.skh.org.tw
Telephone: +886-2-29053490 Fax: +886-2-29052096
Received: April 21, 2005
Revised: May 23, 2005
Accepted: May 24, 2005
Published online: November 7, 2005
Revised: May 23, 2005
Accepted: May 24, 2005
Published online: November 7, 2005
Abstract
The author presents three cases of esophageal rupture during the treatment of massive esophageal variceal bleeding with Sengstaken-Blakemore (SB) tube. In each case, simple auscultation was used to guide SB tube insertion, with chest radiograph obtained only after complete inflation of the gastric balloon. Two patients died of hemorrhagic shock and one died of mediastinitis. The author suggests that confirmation of SB tube placement by auscultation alone may not be adequate. Routine chest radiographs should be obtained before and after full inflation of the gastric balloon to confirm tube position and to detect tube dislocation.