A case of esophageal perforation caused by suicidal caffeine poisoning in a teenager
- Author:
So Jin KIM
1
;
Young-jin CHOI
;
Kyung Suk LEE
;
Hyo Jun JANG
;
Jin-Hwa MOON
;
Yong Joo KIM
;
Seung YANG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Case Report
- From:Pediatric Emergency Medicine Journal 2023;10(1):36-40
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
- Abstract: Spontaneous esophageal perforation (also known as Boerhaave syndrome) is associated with sudden increase in intra-esophageal pressure by vomiting, coughing or straining at stool. This case describes a 13-year-old girl who developed the perforation after consuming 270 mg/kg of caffeine tablets for a suicide attempt. Presumably, the perforation was caused primarily by caffeine-induced severe vomiting, and secondarily by caffeine-induced gastric acid secretion with smooth muscle relaxation and by the large amount of caffeine-induced sudden increase in intra-esophageal pressure.
