Table: Some Causes of Perforation - Merck Manuals Consumer Version

Some Causes of Perforation

Area of Perforation	Causes	Comments
Anywhere along the digestive tract	Injury	—
Anywhere along the digestive tract	Foreign bodies Foreign Bodies in the Digestive Tract Foreign bodies are ingested objects that can get stuck in the digestive tract and sometimes perforate (pierce) it. Foreign bodies may be accidentally or intentionally swallowed. Foreign bodies... read more	—
Esophagus Throat and Esophagus The throat (pharynx) lies behind and below the mouth. When food and fluids leave the mouth, they pass through the throat. Swallowing of food and fluids begins voluntarily and continues automatically... read more	Forceful vomiting	This disorder is called Boerhaave syndrome Esophageal Ruptures Esophageal ruptures are tears that penetrate the wall of the esophagus. Ruptures can be caused by surgical procedures, severe vomiting, or swallowing a large piece of food that becomes stuck... read more .
	Injury caused by a medical procedure	Injury is typically caused by an esophagoscope, balloon dilator, or bougie (a thin cylinder-shaped instrument).
	Swallowing strong corrosive material	Typically, battery acid or lye is swallowed.
Stomach Stomach The stomach is a large, bean-shaped, hollow muscular organ consisting of four regions: Cardia Fundus Body Antrum read more or the first segment of the small intestine (duodenum)	Peptic ulcer disease Peptic Ulcer Disease A peptic ulcer is a round or oval sore where the lining of the stomach or duodenum has been eaten away by stomach acid and digestive juices. Peptic ulcers can result from Helicobacter pylori... read more	About one third of people have had no previous ulcer symptoms.
	Swallowing strong corrosive material	Such material typically damages the stomach rather than the small intestine.
Intestine Small Intestine The duodenum is the first segment of the small intestine, and the stomach releases food into it. Food enters the duodenum through the pyloric sphincter in amounts that the small intestine can... read more	A blockage that cuts off the blood supply to the intestine (strangulating obstruction)	—
	Possibly appendicitis Appendicitis Appendicitis is inflammation and infection of the appendix. Often a blockage inside the appendix causes the appendix to become inflamed and infected. Abdominal pain, nausea, and fever are common... read more and Meckel diverticulitis Meckel Diverticulum A Meckel diverticulum is a saclike outpouching of the wall of the small intestine that is present in some children at birth. Most children do not have symptoms, but sometimes painless rectal... read more	—
Colon Large Intestine The large intestine consists of the Cecum and ascending (right) colon Transverse colon Descending (left) colon Sigmoid colon (which is connected to the rectum) read more	A blockage ( obstruction Intestinal Obstruction An obstruction of the intestine is a blockage that completely stops or seriously impairs the passage of food, fluid, digestive secretions, and gas through the intestines. The most common causes... read more )	Blockage typically results from cancer or impacted stool.
	Diverticulitis Diverticulitis Diverticulitis is inflammation of one or more balloon-like sacs (diverticula). Infection may or may not develop. Diverticulitis usually affects the large intestine (colon). Left lower abdominal... read more	People who are taking prednisone or other drugs that inhibit the immune system (immunosuppressants) are at high risk of developing diverticulitis. However, these people may have few symptoms.
	Inflammatory bowel disease Overview of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) In inflammatory bowel diseases, the intestine (bowel) becomes inflamed, often causing recurring abdominal pain and diarrhea. The two primary types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are Crohn... read more (such as ulcerative colitis Ulcerative Colitis Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease in which the large intestine (colon) becomes inflamed and ulcerated (pitted or eroded), leading to flare-ups (bouts or attacks) of... read more and Crohn disease Crohn Disease Crohn disease is an inflammatory bowel disease where chronic inflammation typically involves the lower part of the small intestine, the large intestine, or both and may affect any part of the... read more )	—
	Expansion of the large intestine (toxic megacolon)	—
	Sometimes spontaneous	—
Gallbladder Gallbladder and Biliary Tract The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped, muscular storage sac that holds bile and is interconnected to the liver by ducts known as the biliary tract. (See also Overview of the Liver and Gallbladder... read more	Injury that occurs during surgical removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) or liver biopsy Rarely, inflammation of the gallbladder ( cholecystitis Cholecystitis Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder, usually resulting from a gallstone blocking the cystic duct. Typically, people have abdominal pain, fever, and nausea. Ultrasonography can usually... read more )	Injury may be to the gallbladder or bile ducts.