Surviving Boerhaave's syndrome without thoracotomy.

A case of Boerhaave's syndrome managed without thoracotomy is described. The diagnosis was not confirmed for 24 h when a barium swallow revealed free rupture of the esophagus into the left pleural cavity. Although survival has been reported with nonoperative management of contained esophageal perforations, to our knowledge, this is the first report of surviving Boerhaave's syndrome with free pleural rupture, without thoracotomy.