Mallory-Weiss Syndrome refers to bleeding from tears in the mucosa at the junction of the stomach and esophagus, usually caused by severe retching, coughing, or vomiting. It is often associated with alcoholism, and there is some evidence that presence of a hiatal hernia is a required predisposing condition.
Mallory-Weiss often presents as an episode of vomiting up blood (hematemesis) after violent retching or vomiting, but may also be noticed as old blood in the stool (melana), and a history of retching may be absent. In most cases, the bleeding stops spontaneously after 24-48 hours, but surgical treatment is sometimes required and rarely the condition is fatal.
Definitive diagnosis is by endoscopy; treatment by cauterization or injection of epinephrine to stop the bleeding may be undertaken at the same time. In some cases, embolization of the arteries supplying the region may be performed by an interventional radiologist to stop the bleeding. As in any case of hemorrhage, fluid maintenance is an important part of therapy.
The condition was first described in 1929 by GK. Mallory and S. Weiss in 15 alcoholic patients.