Aerophagia

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Aerophagia
Classification and external resources
ICD-10 F45.3
ICD-9 306.4
MeSH D000334

Aerophagia (var. aerophagy) is a condition that occurs when a person swallows too much air, which goes to the stomach. It causes abdominal bloating, frequent belching and may cause pain.

[edit] Causes

Aerophagia is associated with chewing gum, smoking, drinking carbonated drinks, eating fast and wearing loose dentures. In people with cervical spinal blockages, inhaling can cause air to enter the esophagus and stomach.[1]

Aerophagia is diagnosed in 8.8% of mentally retarded patients.[2] where the coordination between swallowing and respiration is not well defined.[3] In one case aerophagia was successfully treated with thorazine, an antipsychotic sometimes used to treat hiccups.[4]

Aerophagia is a dangerous side effect of non-invasive ventilation (NIV), commonly used in treatments of respiratory problems and cardiovascular critical care or in surgery when general anaesthetic is required. In the case of aerophagia during NIV, it is normally diagnosed by experienced medical specialists who check on patients intermittently during NIV use. The diagnosis is based on the sound heard by listening through a stethoscope placed outside the abdominal cavity. Using this approach, the problem is sometimes detected later than when it develops, possibly also later than necessary. Belated detection of aerophagia may lead to gastric distension, which in turn, could inflate the diaphragm or cause aspiration of the stomach contents into the lungs[5] or pneumatic rupture of the oesophagus due to extreme gastric insufflation.[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Krasiuk MM, Kratinov VP (July 1993). "The characteristics of aerophagy and its treatment.". Likars'ka sprava 7: 114–6. PMID 8209520. 
  2. ^ Loening-Baucke V (2000). "Aerophagia as cause of gaseous abdominal distention in a toddler". J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr. 31 (2): 204–7. PMID 10941981. 
  3. ^ Perlman AL, Ettema SL, Barkmeier J (2000). "Respiratory and acoustic signals associated with bolus passage during swallowing". Dysphagia 15 (2): 89–94. PMID 10758191. 
  4. ^ Appleby BS, Rosenberg PB (2006). "Aerophagia as the initial presenting symptom of a depressed patient". Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry 8 (4): 245–6. PMID 16964323. 
  5. ^ RUBEN H, KNUDSEN EJ, CARUGATI G (1961). "Gastric inflation in relation to airway pressure". Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 5: 107–14. PMID 14494855. 
  6. ^ Meyerovitch J, Ben Ami T, Rozenman J, Barzilay Z (1988). "Pneumatic rupture of the esophagus caused by carbonated drinks". Pediatr Radiol 18 (6): 468–70. PMID 3186323. 
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