Above and Below the Diaphragm: A Previously Undescribed Case of Recurrent Boerhaave Syndrome Diagnosed With Computerized Tomography Esophagram

Abstract

Boerhaave syndrome, defined as a spontaneous rupture of the esophagus, is an uncommon clinical entity. Recurrent spontaneous rupture of the esophagus is even rarer and has only been described in a handful of case reports. The rupture most often occurs in the thoracic esophagus. Spontaneous rupture of the intraabdominal esophagus is extremely rare. The extravasation of gastric contents, including bile, acid, and bacteria, into a body cavity precipitates severe sepsis. This results in a high mortality rate without emergent treatment. Such treatment often necessitates surgical repair with primary closure, tissue grafts, or esophagectomy in particularly severe cases. This is a case of a 64-year-old male who suffered Boerhaave syndrome twice separated by two years. The patient was transferred from an outside facility initially presenting with chest and abdominal pain, which developed after eating. CT esophagram with water soluble contrast demonstrated contrast extravasation into the right mediastinum/hemithorax, consistent with a diagnosis of Boerhaave syndrome. Repair was accomplished with an intercostal muscle pedicle patch, and the patient was subsequently discharged. This case report details, to our knowledge, the first case of a left intraabdominal and right thoracic esophageal rupture combination.