Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2012 Jul 26;6(2):510-7.
doi: 10.1159/000341808. Print 2012 May.

Intramural hematoma of the esophagus

Dahlia Thao Cao  1 , Jean-Luc Reny, Nicolas Lanthier, Jean-Louis Frossard
Affiliations
Case Reports

Intramural hematoma of the esophagus

Dahlia Thao Cao et al. Case Rep Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

We report the case of a patient with an intramural hematoma of the esophagus. This rare condition is more common in elderly women and can be misdiagnosed as cardiovascular or other digestive emergent disease. The classical clinical triad includes chest pain, sudden dysphagia or odynophagia and minor hematemesis. Known precipitating factors are Valsalva maneuver, blunt, direct or iatrogenic injuries, but spontaneous cases have also been described. Chest imaging including computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging as well as upper gastrointestinal endoscopy are useful tools for diagnosis. The treatment is conservative and the prognosis usually excellent with complete resolution within a few weeks.

Keywords: Esophagus; Hematoma; Intramural.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Chest CT: obstructive esophageal mass located in the median and lower part of the esophagus.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Chest CT: obstructive esophageal mass located in the median and lower part of the esophagus in sagittal reconstruction. E = Esophagus; S = stomach.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: large obstructive blue lesion in the esophagus extending from 22 to 36 cm distal from the incisors.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: large obstructive blue lesion in the esophagus.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
MRI: partially obstructive esophageal mass located in the median and lower part of the esophagus in sagittal reconstruction.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Cullen SN, McIntyre AS. Dissecting intramural haematoma of the esophagus. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2000;12:1151–1162. - PubMed
    1. Meulman N, Evans J, Watson A. Spontaneous intramural haematoma of the oesophagus; a report of three cases and review of the literature. Aust N Z J Surg. 1994;64:190–193. - PubMed
    1. Ackert JJ, Sherman A, Lustbader IJ, McCauley DI. Spontaneous intramural hematoma of the esophagus. Am J Gastroenterol. 1989;84:1325–1328. - PubMed
    1. Katabathina V, Restrepo CS, Martinez-Jimenez S, Riascos RF. Nonvascular, nontraumatic mediastinal emergencies in adults: a comprehensive review of imaging findings. Radiographics. 2011;31:1141–1160. - PubMed
    1. Van Laethem JL, Devière J, Cremer M. Serial endoscopic findings of spontaneous intramural hematoma of the esophagus. Endoscopy. 1997;29:44–46. - PubMed

Publication types