Vallecular Varix: A Perplexing Cause of Oral Cavity Bleeding
Often discovered only after an extensive work up for hemoptysis and hematemesis, vallecular varices are a rare cause of oral bleeding that increase patient morbidity due to delay of diagnosis. We describe an 89-year-old male who presented with a week of intermittent oral blood production. A val...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
eScholarship Publishing, University of California
2015-12-01
|
| Series: | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| Online Access: | http://escholarship.org/uc/item/3w73562x |
| Summary: | Often discovered only after an extensive work up for hemoptysis and hematemesis, vallecular varices
are a rare cause of oral bleeding that increase patient morbidity due to delay of diagnosis.
We describe an 89-year-old male who presented with a week of intermittent oral blood production. A
vallecular varix was identified on fiberoptic laryngoscopy after studies for hematemesis and hemoptysis
had been performed, including negative esophagogastroduodenoscopy and bronchoscopy.
Awareness of this pathology and key points in the patient history can direct the clinician toward the
correct diagnosis, expediting treatment and limiting invasive diagnostic procedures for pulmonary or
gastric etiologies of bleeding. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1936-900X 1936-9018 |