Mallory and Weiss described an esophageal lesion associated with severe vomiting.
Features of the Mallory-Weiss syndrome:
(1) vomiting, typically severe and prolonged
(2) onset of esophageal bleeding with hematemesis, which may be massive
(3) presence of linear longitudinal tears in the distal esophagus at or near the gastroesophageal junction
(4) absence of alternative explanation (trauma, chemical ingestion, etc)
Risk factors:
(1) binge drinking (noted in the original report)
(2) chemotherapy or other cause of severe or prolonged vomiting
(3) endoscopy in a patient with senile mucosal atrophy (atrophic gastritis, etc)
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Specialty: Gastroenterology
