The Editor,

 Sir,

A 41-year-old African American male presented to the emergency room with chest and abdominal pain associated with dyspnoea following multiple episodes of emesis. Assessment and imaging revealed proximal and distal oesophageal perforations. The patient was emergently taken to the operating room where a diverting fistula of the cervical oesophagus was created through the neck. 

ABSTRACT

Spontaneous oesophageal rupture (Boerhaave’s syndrome) is extremely rare in children. Presentation is usually in middle aged men as a result of vomiting following heavy food or alcohol consumption. We describe an unusual case of a 12-year old boy without significant past medical history presenting with acute chest pain following gastroenteritis.