[Mallory-Weiss syndrome: diagnosis and treatment]

Abstract

Mallory-Weiss syndrome is relatively common and is involved in 3 to 10% of cases of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Most of the time, the hemorrhage is mild and stops spontaneously. Clinical suspicion requires confirmation by an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, which must be performed rapidly after the first hematemesis. Mallory-Weiss syndrome is diagnosed when it shows a longitudinal mucosal tear at the esophagogastric junction. Patients with active bleeding or signs of recent bleeding at endoscopy need immediate endoscopic treatment for hemostasis. Band ligation seems to be the most efficient procedure for primary hemostasis and for preventing recurrent bleeding. The use of proton pump inhibitors and antiemetics seems logical in all cases, although nothing in the literature demonstrates their efficacy.