Treatment of a torn esophagus | Torn esophagus

Treatment of a torn esophagus

A tear in the esophagus is a medical emergency and a life-threatening situation that should be treated as soon as possible. The patient must be taken to a hospital under circulatory monitoring and undergo direct surgery. In addition, antibiotics with a broad spectrum of activity are administered to prevent infection of the body cavity in which the oesophagus is located.

It may not be possible to close the tear in the esophagus during surgery. The last measure to save the patient’s life is to remove the affected section of the esophagus. The stomach must then be pulled up and the remaining end sutured to restore a closed digestive tract.