Home > Medical Articles > Articles beginning with E > Esophageal Perforation > Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Medical References
Diseases & Conditions
Women's Health
Mental Health
Men's Health
Healthy Choice News
Site Map Links
Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
Read more health news
Esophageal Perforation
- Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
- Symptoms & Signs
- Diagnosis & Tests
- Prevention & Expectations
- Treatment & Monitoring
- Attribution
- View All
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Esophageal perforation is a hole in the wall of the esophagus, which is the muscular tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.
What is going on in the body?
Certain injuries or diseases can create a hole in the esophagus. When food is swallowed, some of it can leak out of the esophagus into the chest cavity.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
A hole in the esophagus can be caused by certain diseases and conditions, such as:
Holes in the esophagus can also be the result of an accidental injury. Sometimes this occurs when a doctor uses a lighted tube, called an endoscope, to look down a person's esophagus. It also can happen when a healthcare provider inserts a stomach tube through the nose to feed a person or to remove the contents of his or her stomach.