Boerhaave Syndrome in an Elderly Man

Boerhaave syndrome is a complete rupture of the oesophageal wall secondary to a sudden increase in intraluminal oesophageal pressure, often in the lower third and left lateral position of the oesophagus.The management of Boerhaave syndrome depends on the time of diagnosis and clinical presentation and includes conservative, endoscopic and surgical approaches.Curative, aggressive approaches focused on the treatment of disease are often not appropriate for an aging population, hence the need for a case-by-case approach, where the benefits of invasive manoeuvres and likelihood of discharge are weighed against an acceptable quality of life, aiming to prevent futile medical treatment.