Certain foods with a hard edge such as a taco can cause a tear in the esophagus.
Features of the taco tear of the esophagus:
(1) The patient has been eating dry or hard tacos or taco chips.
(2) A large fragment is swallowed which is large enough to lacerate the mucosa.
(3) The patient develops the sudden onset of chest pain.
(4) Hemorrhage and/or hematoma may occur.
Risk factors:
(1) drinking alcohol
(2) swallowing food with no or little chewing
To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.
Specialty: Gastroenterology, Pedatrics, Psychiatry, Surgery, general
