Related Experiment Videos
Esophageal perforation caused by a blister-wrapped tablet
Narendar Mohan Gupta1, Vikas Gupta, Rajesh Gupta
1Department of Surgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Chandigarh, Punjab, India. medinst@pgi.chd.nic.in
Asian Cardiovascular & Thoracic Annals
|June 25, 2002
Summary
Blister-wrapped tablets can cause esophageal perforation. Conservative treatment with antibiotics and high-protein nutrition effectively managed this case in an elderly patient.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Internal Medicine
- Surgical Complications
Background:
- Esophageal perforation is a rare but serious condition.
- Ingestion of foreign bodies, including medication packaging, can lead to esophageal injury.
- Conservative management is an option for select cases of esophageal perforation.
Observation:
- An 84-year-old male patient presented with esophageal perforation.
- The perforation was attributed to the ingestion of a blister-wrapped tablet.
- The patient was hemodynamically stable and did not present with signs of sepsis.
Findings:
- The patient's esophageal perforation was successfully treated non-surgically.
- Treatment involved a 2-week course of broad-spectrum antibiotics.
- High-protein enteral nutrition was administered to support healing.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential risk of blister-wrapped tablet ingestion.
- Conservative management can be effective for esophageal perforation in carefully selected elderly patients.
- Early diagnosis and appropriate nutritional support are crucial for favorable outcomes.