Successful minimally invasive repair of spontaneous esophageal perforation

Esophageal perforations with a mediastinal abscess are medical emergencies with a significant mortality rate. Prompt management is mandatory, and a variety of treatment strategies have been advocated. In the case of a spontaneous rupture of the esophagus (the so-called Boerhaave's syndrome), the treatment of choice involves the surgical repair of the esophageal defect, usually accomplished through a laparotomy or thoracotomy. In this paper, we present a case of an elderly patient with severe comorbidities, in which a minimally invasive approach was attempted and a complete repair was successfully accomplished.