Successful treatment of Boerhaave's syndrome with endoscopic insertion of a self-expandable metallic stent: report of three cases and a review of the literature.

Boerhaave's syndrome is a rare but life-threatening condition which presents a diagnostic as well as therapeutic challenge. Early diagnosis and prompt surgical repair are critical for survival; however late recognition of esophageal rupture is not unusual. A variety of nonsurgical approaches have been proposed, particularly in the case of delayed diagnosis. In recent years, the insertion of a metallic stent has been described as a promising modality in the treatment of spontaneous esophageal rupture. We report three cases of Boerhaave's syndrome treated with self-expandable metallic stents and review previously published cases.