Esophageal Rupture Associated With COVID-19: A Novel Case Report

Abstract

Emergency departments (EDs) are the primary driver for hospital admissions in the United States (US), and that trend is likely to continue through the ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. As the US continues to experience rampant community spread, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will likely present in increasingly variable ways to the EDs. We present a case of Mallory-Weiss tear and esophageal perforation, which was likely caused by COVID-19 pneumonia. This case is notably the first of its kind that we have seen reported in the COVID-19-related literature. Clinicians should be vigilant about the various complications of COVID-19 and continue to exercise caution when seeing and treating these patients.