Management of Boerhaave’s Syndrome

Abstract

Boerhaave’s syndrome or spontaneous oesophageal perforation is characterised by barogenic oesophageal injury. This leads to contamination of the pleural cavity with enteric contents and various degrees of injury.1 The syndrome is named after Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch physician, who first described it in 1724. Incidence of spontaneous rupture amongst all oesophageal ruptures varies between 15-38%.