Table 2.

Management and outcome of patients with Boerhaave's syndrome

Case	Initial therapy	Year	Operative approach & technique		Leaka	Re-operation	Cause of death (days postoperatively)
Patients unfit for surgery (n = 3)
N1	Non-op	2001	–	–	+		Sepsis (1)
N2	Non-op	2001	–	–	+		Sepsis (22)
N3	Non-op	2002	–	–	+		Sepsis (1)
Patients fit for surgery (n = 18)
Early group (< 24 h)
E1	Surgery	2001	Thoracotomy	Repair	+
E2	Surgery	2001	Thoracotomy	Repair		Laparotomy (bleeding)
E3	Surgery	2001	Thoracotomy	Repair		bVATS → rib resection
E4	Surgery	2003	Thoracotomy	Repair
E5	Surgery	2005	Transhiatal	Repair		Transthoracic drainage
E6	Surgery	2006	Transhiatal	Repair
E7	Surgery	2007	Thoracotomy	Repair
E8	Surgery	2007	Thoracotomy	T-tube
Late group (> 24 h)
L1	Surgery	2002	Thoracotomy	T-tube			Pneumonia (19)
L2	Surgery	2005	Thoracotomy	Resection	N/A
L3	Surgery	2005	Transhiatal	Repair
L4	Surgery	2006	Thoracotomy	T-tube	+
L5	Surgery	2007	Thoracotomy	Repair	+	Exclusion
L6	Surgery	2007	Transhiatal	Repair	+	bVATS + debridement
L7	Conservativec	2003	Thoracotomy	Rib resection	+	Exclusion	Sepsis (99)
L8	Conservativec	2003	–		+		dCVA (131)
L9	Conservative	2005	Transhiatal	Drainage	+	Exclusion
L10	Conservative	2007	Thoracotomy	T-tube	+	Exclusion	Sepsis (72)

^aIn patients who underwent primary repair (including T-tube repair), diagnosis of leak was made by water-soluble contrast swallow. In patients who underwent a drainage procedure only, a leak was considered to be persistent if a second intervention (percutaneous drainage or surgery) was necessary.

^bVATS, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

^cTwo patients (L7 and L8) who were managed conservatively underwent laparotomy and insertion of decompressive gastrostomy and feeding jejunostomy as part of active conservative management.

^dPatient L8 developed an oesophago-pleuro-cutaneous fistula that was managed conservatively. However, she died due to hypoxic brain damage following a prolonged respiratory arrest.