Esophageal perforations and tears are critical, life-threatening conditions requiring prompt diagnosis and coordinated multidisciplinary management. These injuries can result from various causes, including iatrogenic interventions, trauma, or spontaneous ruptures, and carry a high risk of complications such as sepsis, mediastinitis, and multiorgan failure if not treated immediately. The prognosis is strongly influenced by the timing of intervention, the underlying cause, and the expertise of the treatment center. Despite advances in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, managing esophageal perforations remains challenging and necessitates a coordinated care approach among healthcare professionals.Esophageal perforations can occur in 3 anatomical compartments—cervical, thoracic, and abdominal—each with variable, often nonspecific symptoms that can delay diagnosis. Early recognition of symptoms, accurate diagnosis through clinical assessment and imaging, and timely intervention are crucial for improving outcomes. Treatment strategies are multifaceted, involving both surgical and nonsurgical approaches, and are tailored to the patient’s condition and the severity of the injury. This activity reviews the epidemiology, etiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges, and management strategies for esophageal perforations and tears, emphasizing the critical importance of early detection and intervention in improving patient outcomes. This activity also highlights the crucial role of collaboration among interprofessional healthcare providers in optimizing patient safety and outcomes within this complex clinical scenario.
- Provider:StatPearls, LLC
- Activity Link: https://www.statpearls.com/ArticleLibrary/viewarticle/21341
- Start Date: 2023-09-01 05:00:00
- End Date: 2023-09-01 05:00:00
- Credit Details: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™️: 1.5 hours
Nursing: 1.5 hours
Pharmacy: 1.5 hours - MOC Credit Details: ABS - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Accredited CME (ABS)
ABPATH - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Lifelong Learning (ABPATH)
ABA - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Lifelong Learning (ABA)
ABTS - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Accredited CME (ABTS)
ABIM - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Medical Knowledge (ABIM)
ABS - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Self-Assessment (ABS)
ABP - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment (ABP)
ABTS - 1.5 Point; Credit Type(s): Self-Assessment (ABTS) - Commercial Support: No
- Activity Type: Enduring Material
- CME Finder Type: Online Learning
- Fee to Participate: Variable
- Measured Outcome: Learner Knowledge, Learner/Team Competence
- Provider Ship: Directly Provided
- Registration: Open to all
- Specialty: Critical Care, Critical Care Medicine, Gastroenterology, General Operative Anesthesia, General Pediatrics, General Surgery, General Thoracic, GI (incl. Liver, Pancreas, Bilary), Hospital Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Surgical Critical Care, Thoracic Anesthesia