Anywhere along the digestive tract

Injury

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Foreign bodies

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Esophagus

Forceful vomiting

This disorder is called Boerhaave syndrome.

Injury caused by a medical procedure

Injury is typically caused by an endoscope, balloon dilator, or bougie (a thin cylinder-shaped instrument).

Swallowing strong corrosive material

Typically, battery acid or lye is swallowed.

Stomach or the first segment of the small intestine (duodenum)

Peptic ulcer disease

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

A blockage that cuts off the blood supply to the intestine (strangulating obstruction)

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Possibly appendicitis and Meckel diverticulitis

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Colon

A blockage (obstruction)

Blockage typically results from cancer or impacted stool.

Diverticulitis

Inflammatory bowel disease (such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease)

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Expansion of the large intestine (toxic megacolon)

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Sometimes spontaneous

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Gallbladder

Injury that occurs during surgical removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) or liver biopsy

Rarely, inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis)

Injury may be to the gallbladder or bile ducts.