esophogeal rupture during procedure

[Amy Chancey]

hello i have a client whose 40 yr old wife, with a history of difficulty swallowing a large food bolus, and went in for an outpatient scope. the physician forced the scope down her esophagus and ruptured the esophagus and bronchus. piercing the left lung. she went into cardiac arrest and died. i have a 22 year history of nursing and have not heard of this happening. has anyone else? pleae email me at [email protected] if you have any info on this type of occurrence. thanks amy

[plumrn, BSN, RN]

I've never seen this happen, but I do know it is a risk with this procedure. Terrible thing to happen, and so young...

[Zee_RN, BSN, RN]

Have not heard of it happening but i know that it a risk of the procedure--albeit a rare event. A sentinel event, I might add.

This is so tragic. Ruptured the esophagus and the bronchus? and pierced the lung? Just how hard did this guy push?!

Brings many questions to mind...did the patient have a history of esophageal strictures?

This is a very bizarre event. Very sad.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Tragic.

I was in the room during a colonoscopy where there was a perforation there. Sad. Lady died within a few hours.

[MQ Edna]

This wasn't a rupture, but--some years back (more than 20), my cousin had either a gastroscopy or a bronchoscopy--can't remember--and had an allergic reaction to the anesthetic (cocaine). They had to repeat the procedure, and for some reason chose to use cocaine again (do you suppose they didn't read the nurses" notes?) He died. It was devastating to the family.