title: Biliary contents in the chest drain tube: a finding not to ignore.
abstract: A 45-year-old man presented with a left-sided pneumothorax following an episode of forceful vomiting. His chest drain revealed biliary contents and his CT chest with oral contrast confirmed the diagnosis of oesophageal rupture. He was transferred for surgical repair to a tertiary centre. Biliary contents within a chest tube are an important clinical finding and should raise suspicion of Boerhaave's syndrome. Any delays should be avoided due to the high mortality.
authors: Emergency Medicine Department, North Middlesex University Hospital, London, UK. gdemcy@hotmail.com
authors: George A
authors: GA
authors: Demetriou
authors: Manojkumar S
authors: MS
authors: Nair
mesh_terms: D015505:Chest Tubes; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014839:Vomiting / Q000150:complications; D004935:Esophageal Diseases; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D000072663:Spontaneous Perforation
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
references: Dis Esophagus. 1997 Jan;10(1):64-8
references: 9079278