Boerhaave's syndrome and children: a rare and unexpected combination.

Boerhaave's syndrome, or the spontaneous rupture of the esophagus, appears most commonly in males between the ages of 40 and 60. Severe vomiting followed by excruciating chest pain are the classic clinical signs, often in conjunction with a history of over indulgence in food and alcohol. The authors describe a case of Boerhaave's syndrome in a child, the result of missed appendicitis.