Biomaterial Database

The Sengstaken-Blakemore tube: uses and abuses. 2008

E Seet, and S Beevee, and A Cheng, and E Lim

Department of Anaesthesia and Surgical Intensive Care, Alexandra Hospital, 378 Alexandra Road, Singapore 159964. seetedwin@gmail.com

Due to its complications including oesophageal and gastric ulceration and perforation, the Sengstaken-Blakemore tube is used far less commonly in this new millennium where endoscopic intervention is available. We discuss in a 53-year-old Indian woman an unusual life-saving use of the Sengstaken-Blakemore tube in preventing fatal exsanguination from an aortoesophageal fistula, as well as rare but devastating consequences of the insertion and residence of the Sengstaken-Blakemore tube, including acute airway obstruction and bronchoesophageal fistula.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D004867	Equipment Design	Methods and patterns of fabricating machines and related hardware.	Design, Equipment,Device Design,Medical Device Design,Design, Medical Device,Designs, Medical Device,Device Design, Medical,Device Designs, Medical,Medical Device Designs,Design, Device,Designs, Device,Designs, Equipment,Device Designs,Equipment Designs
D004932	Esophageal and Gastric Varices	Dilated blood vessels in the ESOPHAGUS or GASTRIC FUNDUS that shunt blood from the portal circulation (PORTAL SYSTEM) to the systemic venous circulation. Often they are observed in individuals with portal hypertension (HYPERTENSION, PORTAL).	Esophageal Varices,Gastric Varices,Esophageal Varix,Gastric Varix,Varices, Esophageal,Varices, Gastric,Varix, Esophageal,Varix, Gastric
D004937	Esophageal Fistula	Abnormal passage communicating with the ESOPHAGUS. The most common type is TRACHEOESOPHAGEAL FISTULA between the esophagus and the TRACHEA.	Esophageal Fistulas,Fistula, Esophageal,Fistulas, Esophageal
D005260	Female		Females
D006406	Hematoma	A collection of blood outside the BLOOD VESSELS. Hematoma can be localized in an organ, space, or tissue.	Hematomas
D006471	Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage	Bleeding in any segment of the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT from ESOPHAGUS to RECTUM.	Hematochezia,Hemorrhage, Gastrointestinal,Gastrointestinal Hemorrhages,Hematochezias
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000402	Airway Obstruction	Any hindrance to the passage of air into and out of the lungs.	Choking,Airway Obstructions,Obstruction, Airway,Obstructions, Airway
D001013	Aorta, Thoracic	The portion of the descending aorta proceeding from the arch of the aorta and extending to the DIAPHRAGM, eventually connecting to the ABDOMINAL AORTA.	Aorta, Ascending,Aorta, Descending,Aortic Arch,Aortic Root,Arch of the Aorta,Descending Aorta,Sinotubular Junction,Ascending Aorta,Thoracic Aorta,Aortic Roots,Arch, Aortic,Ascending Aortas,Junction, Sinotubular,Root, Aortic,Sinotubular Junctions