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Atypical presentation of Boerhaave's syndrome as Enterococcal bacterial pericardial effusion

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The General Infirmary at Leeds, Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3EX, West Yorkshire, UK

*Corresponding author. Flat 3, Mackintosh House, 80 North Street, Leeds LS2 7PN, West Yorkshire, UK. Tel.: +44 113 2432496; fax: +113 3922788.

E-mail address: arinsaha{at}yahoo.com (A. Saha).

Boerhaave's perforation is a serious condition describing spontaneous transmural perforation of the oesophagus. The classical presentation of this condition is vomiting, lower thoracic pain and subcutaneous emphysema. However, the condition often presents atypically and it is important to reach the correct diagnosis quickly. We present the case of a 54-year-old woman with a Boerhaave's perforation that presented as Enterococcal bacterial pericardial effusion.

Key Words: Boerhaave's; Perforation; Enterococcus; Pericardial; Effusion