title: Conservative surgical treatment of a profoundly immunosuppressed pediatric patient with Boerhaave syndrome.
abstract: Boerhaave syndrome is a condition described as spontaneous rupture of the esophagus that often results in mediastinitis, sepsis, and death. The authors report a case of Boerhaave syndrome in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. At the time of diagnosis (10 days after rupture), the patient had an absolute neutrophil count of 0 and was treated with T-tube drainage of the perforation. The T-tube was removed 2 months after the operation. The patient has required three endoscopic esophageal dilatations of a mild esophageal stricture. He remains in remission from his leukemia, has normal growth and development, and is on a regular diet.
authors.affiliation: Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: ZoAnn E
authors.initials: ZE
authors.lastname: Dreyer
authors.forename: Mary L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Brandt
mesh_terms: D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D011859:Radiography; D012074:Remission Induction; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D013577:Syndrome