clinical features
Last reviewed 01/2018
The clinical symptoms of Boerhaave's syndrome include:
- characteristically seen in middle aged men with a history of high alcohol intake, 'retching' and vomiting
- often give a history of retrosternal pain progressing to to excruciating epigastric pain that is increased by swallowing
- failure of opiates to relieve pain
Signs of Boerhaave's syndrome include:
- respiratory collapse:
- dyspnoea
- cyanosis
- shock
- subcutaneous emphysema in the neck
- hydrothorax } take some hours
- pneumothorax } to develop
- pleural effusion
- tenderness over epigastrium and rigidity