I recently tore the Mallory-Weiss gland in my esophagus, which resulted in bleeding. I went to the hospital and was released after the bleeding had stopped. Could you please tell me what the Mallory-Weiss gland actually is, and if it will heal?

Peter

To begin with, there is no Mallory-Weiss gland. What you apparently had was a gastrointestinal bleed caused by a tear of the lining in the esophagus at the point where it joins to the stomach. This is called a Mallory-Weiss tear, a condition that is usually related to prolonged vomiting, often linked to heavy alcohol consumption.

Vomiting puts a great deal of force on the lower esophagus because the stomach is basically forced up through the relatively inflexible esophagus. A tear in the lining occurs, and a great deal of bleeding can occur due to the large amount of small blood vessels just underneath the surface in the lower esophagus. Thus, the typical patient with a Mallory-Weiss tear complains of prolonged vomiting followed by vomiting of blood. Interestingly, some patients do not have a history of prolonged vomiting, so it is possible to tear the lower esophagus with the initial retching.

Patients who come to the hospital with evidence of gastrointestinal bleeding are referred for an endoscopy. The diagnosis of a Mallory-Weiss tear is made if a torn area is seen in the esophagus during the endoscopy. Most of these tears heal in a few days, and no residual effects will be found in the esophagus. In the small percentage of who continue to bleed or who suffer re-bleeds, endoscopic therapy can be applied to stop the bleeding. This may consist of injection of a chemical that seals off the bleeding vessel or application of a heated probe to burn the vessel. Both methods are very effective in stopping the bleeding.