Boerhaave's syndrome - tension hydropneumothorax and rapidly developing hydropneumothorax: two radiographic clues in one case

Septic shock revealing boerhaave's syndrome a case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Boerhaave's syndrome, recognized as spontaneous esophageal rupture, is an uncommon and perilous medical condition marked by the spontaneous tearing of the esophagus. This paper highlights the importance of an early diagnosis and its correlation to better outcomes for a rare pathology with high mortality.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

A 67-year-old female presenting with unexplored vomiting and hypertension, presented to the ER with a septic shock. The patient's clinical deterioration prompted emergency exploration, revealing a dilated esophagus with a 3-cm perforation. Despite surgical intervention, including suturing with a T-tube and esophageal exclusion, the patient succumbed to multiorgan failure.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

Boerhaave's syndrome, triggered by forceful vomiting, presents diverse clinical manifestations, making accurate diagnosis challenging. The characteristic triad of vomiting, pain, and subcutaneous emphysema is observed in a minority of cases, often overshadowed by acute respiratory distress. Diagnostic modalities include chest X-rays, contrast esophagography, and computed tomography, aiding in visualizing contrast leakage and confirming the diagnosis. The choice of surgical technique, ranging from esophageal suturing to esophagectomy, depends on the duration between rupture and surgery initiation. In this case, a bipolar esophageal exclusion was performed due to the patient's critical condition.

CONCLUSION

Boerhaave's syndrome demands consideration in patients presenting with thoracic pain and vomiting, particularly in those with a pathological esophagus. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention remain pivotal in improving outcomes. Identification of hydro-pneumothorax in radiographic studies should prompt consideration of spontaneous esophageal rupture, highlighting the need for heightened clinical suspicion in nonspecific clinical scenarios.

Hydropneumothorax With Bronchopleural Fistula Following the Activation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A Case Report

Tuberculosis is not a disease of the current era; failure to eradicate it continues to cause unusual complications, which results in detrimental sequelae to the patients. It usually presents with respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath, cough, and fever, in addition to extrapulmonary symptoms. While there have been a few published case reports on patients presenting with hydropneumothorax due to tuberculosis, its occurrence is relatively rare. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first published case of hydropneumothorax due to tuberculosis within the United Arab Emirates, as confirmed by a search on PubMed. Here, we present a case of a young farmer from Bangladesh who presented with shortness of breath and fever and was found to have decreased air entry along with hyperresonance sounds on examination. Fortunately, the patient was in a stable state, required minimum oxygen therapy, and was not escalated for further noninvasive or invasive mechanical ventilation. The patient was admitted to a tertiary hospital to receive initial medical therapy interim to transfer the patient to a facility where thoracic surgeons are found.

Tension hydropneumothorax as the initial presentation of Boerhaave syndrome

Boerhaave syndrome, a rare yet frequently fatal diagnosis, is characterized by the spontaneous transmural rupture of the esophagus. The classic presentation of Boerhaave syndrome is characterized by Mackler's triad, consisting of chest pain, vomiting, and subcutaneous emphysema. However, Boerhaave syndrome rarely presents with all the features of Mackler's triad; instead, the common presentation of Boerhaave syndrome includes chest or epigastric pain, severe retching and vomiting, dyspnea, and shock. These symptoms are typically misdiagnosed as cardiogenic in origin. Due to its atypical presentation, rarity, and mimicry of emergent conditions, diagnosis of Boerhaave syndrome is often delayed, resulting in a high mortality rate at the time of diagnosis and with a subsequent exponential increase in mortality if treatment is delayed by greater than 48 hours. Here, we report two atypical presentations of Boerhaave syndrome presenting as tension hydropneumothorax and review ten previously reported cases of Boerhaave syndrome presenting as tension hydropneumothorax. This review serves to raise clinician awareness about the expansive and elusive ways by which esophageal perforation may present, and thereby facilitate timely and potentially life-saving diagnosis.

Boerhaave's syndrome - tension hydropneumothorax and rapidly developing hydropneumothorax: two radiographic clues in one case

Boerhaave's syndrome is a rare and severe condition with high mortality partly because of its atypical presentation resulting in delayed diagnosis and management. Diagnostic clues play an important role in the approach to this syndrome. Here, we report a 48 year‐old male patient hospitalized with fever and left chest pain radiating into the interscapular area. Two chest radiographs undertaken 22 h apart showed a rapidly developing tension hydropneumothorax. The amylase level in the pleural fluid was high. The fluid in the chest tube turned bluish after the patient drank methylene blue. The diagnosis of Boerhaave's syndrome was suspected based on the aforementioned clinical clues and confirmed at the operation. The patient recovered completely with the use of antibiotics and surgical treatment. In this case, we describe key findings on chest radiographs that are useful in diagnosing Boerhaave's syndrome.