[Mallory-Weiss syndrome. Outcome of 160 cases]

The Mallory-Weiss (M-W) syndrome is responsible for about 7.5% of all bleedings of oesophageal origin. Emergency endoscopic treatment allows to obtain a rapid diagnosis as well as an effective treatment. Personal experience on 160 cases of M-W tears (14.2% of all oesophageal bleeding) is reported. The tears were classified in three groups: IA and IB (30 cases); IIA and IIB (48 cases); IIC and III (82 cases). In the first two groups a complete haemostasis was obtained in 73 out of 78 cases (93.6%) with a single session and in 5/78 cases with two sessions of sclerotherapy. The third group was treated with medical therapy. There was no procedure related mortality. An analysis of etiologic factors, anatomic conditions and pathogenetic correlations has highlighted the role of portal hypertension in cirrhotic patients in favouring the bleeding in some of these patients and the role of hiatal hernia and cardial incontinence in determining the site of the lesions.