Abstract

VALERO, Rorayma et al. Síndrome de Boerhaave: Reporte de un caso y revisión de la literatura. Gen [online]. 2008, vol.62, n.4, pp.312-314. ISSN 0016-3503.

Boerhaave syndrome or spontaneous esophageal perforation is a serious condition that endangers the patient´s life and deserves an opportune diagnosis. Without medical or surgical treatment is practically lethal. The classic presentation is the patient who presents with vomits and immediately after with epigastric or retrosternal pain. Clinical case: a 23 years old female patient consulted presenting, after food ingestion, a subsequent sensation of incomplete swallowing, vomits with hematic content and retrosternal pain. A gastroscopy was performed demonstrating deep linear esophagial laceration at 25 cm extending at 33cm CT scan reported pneumonediastin, with suggestive signs of esophageal perforation; She went through a right posterolateral toracotomy, 50cc of free liquid was found in cavity, a 4 x 4 cms mediastinal hematoma and emphysema. The patient remained hospitalized for several days receiving medical treatment without complications. Conclusions: early diagnosis and treatment of BS is important becuase it reduces the high morbidity and mortality rates associated with this syndrome. Nevertheless, the diagnosis is usually delayed in practically all series (in half of the cases the diagnosis is done after more than 24 hours), since in many occasions the symptoms are inespecífic and non-typical. in addition the clinical and radiological findings are not apparent in the first hours after perforation. Studies as endoscopy, esophagogram, CT scan provide the diagnosis.

Keywords : Spontaneous esophagial perforation; Boerhaave Syndrome; esophagus.