Diagnostic Approach and Therapeutic Management of Spontaneous Esophageal Perforation (Boerhaave's Syndrome): A...

Background/Objectives: Boerhaave's syndrome (BS) is a rare, life-threatening condition associated with high mortality. This systematic review aimed to summarize the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of adult patients with BS. Methods: PubMed and Scopus were searched through 12 June 2026 for case reports and case series reporting individual patient-level data. Demographic, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and outcome data were extracted. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist, and factors associated with in-hospital mortality were explored using logistic regression. Results: A total of 427 studies comprising 694 patients were included. Mean age was 57.1 years and 523 patients (80.6%) were male. Vomiting (79.5%) and chest pain (60.7%) were the most common symptoms, while 263 patients (67.6%) met SIRS criteria at diagnosis. The distal esophagus was involved in 83.5% of cases, and computed tomography was the predominant diagnostic modality (55.5%). Surgery was the most common first-line treatment (62.8%). In-hospital and 30-day mortality were 18.2% and 15.4%, respectively. In exploratory analyses, increasing age and SIRS were associated with in-hospital mortality. Risk of bias assessment identified methodological concerns across studies predominantly due to selective and incomplete outcome reporting. Certainty of evidence for in-hospital mortality was very low according to GRADE. Conclusions: BS remains associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Surgery remains the most frequently applied treatment, while conservative and endoscopic strategies are used in selected patients. Case-based evidence precludes reliable comparative assessment of treatment effectiveness. The association between SIRS and mortality remains hypothesis-generating.