Esophageal rupture after accidentally eating the world's spiciest chili pepper.

An American man suffered a perforated esophagus after attempting to taste the world's hottest chili pepper.

Ghost pepper. (Source: ashleyfoodcompany.com)

The 47-year-old man ate a burger sprinkled with a lot of Bhut jolokia powder, a bright orange chili pepper native to India, also known as ghost chili.

A few seconds after eating, he began to vomit violently, writhing in pain on the floor.

He was immediately taken to the hospital, where doctors discovered a 2.5cm tear on the left side of his throat.

According to the Journal of Emergency Medicine, the man was placed on a breathing tube for 14 days, after which he had to stay in the hospital for another 9 days until he fully recovered.

Doctors later stated, "This is a life-threatening condition caused by the discomfort of eating something too spicy."

In this case, some people will experience an esophageal tear, a medical complication known as Boerhaave's syndrome – spontaneous esophageal perforation.

This syndrome was first mentioned in 1724 by a Dutch physician named Herman Boerhaave.

Because it has very few typical symptoms, this syndrome is often difficult to diagnose before it's too late.

After some time, the disease often leads to death or infection.

It is also unclear exactly how the ghost pepper caused the man's esophageal tear – it could have been due to inflammation, vomiting, or a combination of factors.

According to Scoville's standard for measuring spiciness, the ghost pepper scored over 1 million points. Meanwhile, the sweet bell pepper scored 0 points, Tabasco 100 points, and the jalapeño pepper scored 2,500 points.

According to VIETNAM+