Mallory-Weiss tears occur after retching and involve tears of the underlying which vascular structure?

Mallory-Weiss tears occur after retching and involve tears of the underlying which vascular structure?

• A. Venous plexus
• B. Arterial plexus
• C. Venous or arterial plexus
• D. Lymphatic plexus

Answer: (C)

Mallory-Weiss tears are longitudinal mucosal lacerations at the gastroesophageal junction that occur after forceful retching. The key event is rupture of vessels in the submucosa as the mucosa tears, so the injury involves the submucosal vascular network. This network is a vascular plexus that includes both venous and arterial channels, which is why describing the tear as involving a venous or arterial plexus is most accurate. Lymphatics are not the vessels implicated in this hemorrhagic tear, so they don’t fit the mechanism. Bleeding predominantly comes from the submucosal veins, but the structure torn is the submucosal vascular plexus as a whole.

Mallory-Weiss tears are longitudinal mucosal lacerations at the gastroesophageal junction that occur after forceful retching. The key event is rupture of vessels in the submucosa as the mucosa tears, so the injury involves the submucosal vascular network. This network is a vascular plexus that includes both venous and arterial channels, which is why describing the tear as involving a venous or arterial plexus is most accurate. Lymphatics are not the vessels implicated in this hemorrhagic tear, so they don’t fit the mechanism. Bleeding predominantly comes from the submucosal veins, but the structure torn is the submucosal vascular plexus as a whole.