Atypical Presentation of Boerhaave Syndrome With Hypoxia and Unresponsiveness

The following case discusses the atypical presentation of a spontaneous esophageal rupture that presented as acute hypoxic respiratory failure in the emergency department. The patient initially arrived by ambulance with a chief complaint of non-radiating chest pain for approximately one hour. Within minutes after arrival, the patient became hypoxic and bradycardic, requiring supplemental oxygen. A computed tomography (CT) angiogram of the chest showed a pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and left lower lobe consolidations concerning for pneumonia. The patient was resuscitated in the emergency department, and a chest tube thoracostomy was performed. Upon admission to the hospital, an esophagogram with contrast showed an esophageal leak at the gastroesophageal junction with the contrast extending into the left pleural space which required surgical intervention. This case highlights the complicated nature and variable presentations of Boerhaave syndrome and the importance of stabilizing the airway, breathing, and circulation in a decompensating patient even when the etiology is not clear at the time of presentation.