The Mallory-Weiss Syndrome

Abstract

MALLORY and Weiss,¹ in 1929, first reported gastroesophageal laceration associated with or induced by vomiting. Fifteen cases were reviewed, in 2 of which surgical exploration had been fruitless. A subsequent study demonstrated this syndrome to comprise 3 per cent of a series of 101 autopsies for gastrointestinal hemorrhage at the Boston City Hospital.² Although the first successful case managed by surgery was reported by Whiting and Barron,³ in 1955, it was not until 1964 that the first case of the syndrome was successfully treated by surgery at the Boston City Hospital. In the brief period of thirty-two days 3 cases . . .