CASE REPORTS   

Minerva Chirurgica 2008 June;63(3):237-40

Copyright © 2008 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

A delayed Boerhaave’s syndrome diagnosis treated by thoracoscopy in prone position

Dapri G. ¹, Dumont H. ², Roman A. ², Stevens E. ², Himpens J. ¹, Cadiere G. B. ¹

¹ European School of Laparoscopic Surgery Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery Saint-Pierre University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium 2 Unit of Intensive Care Saint-Pierre University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium

Boerhaave’s syndrome or postemetic rupture of the esophagus, carries a high morbidity and mortality. The authors report a delayed Boerhaave’s syndrome diagnosis (3 days), successfully treated by right thoracoscopic debridement in prone position. Thanks to gravity the cardiopulmonary bloc drops back and the access to the esophagus is direct allowing for accurate placement of the chest tubes near the perforation. The procedure is completed by laparoscopic placement of a feeding jejunostomy with the patient supine.