title: Postemetic rupture of the esophagus: Boerhaave's syndrome.
abstract: Postemetic rupture of the esophagus, also known as spontaneous rupture or Boerhaave's syndrome, was first described by Herman Boerhaave in 1724. This is a severe disease that causes high mortality rates and is difficult to diagnose not only because it is rare but also because it is frequently confused with other severe clinical conditions, such as acute myocardial infarction, perforated peptic ulcer, and acute pancreatitis. Herein, we describe three cases of patients with this syndrome. Two underwent primary repair of the rupture, and one underwent esophagectomy followed by reconstruction. There was one death due to septic shock in the immediate postoperative period. The other two patients presented favorable long-term evolution.
authors.affiliation: Surgery Department of the Health Sciences Center at the Rio Grande do Norte Federal University, CCS/UFRN, Natal, RN, Brazil. hjmota@ufrnet.br
authors.forename: Henrique José da
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: Manoel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ximenes Netto
authors.forename: Aldo da Cunha
authors.initials: Ada C
authors.lastname: Medeiros
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D016629:Esophagectomy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D006876:Hydrothorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D011859:Radiography; D012086:Reoperation; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D013577:Syndrome; D014839:Vomiting / Q000150:complications*