Usefulness of lavage and drainage using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for Boerhaave's syndrome: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND

Boerhaave's syndrome has a high mortality rate due to respiratory failure, septic shock, and multiple organ failure. We had previously carried out primary repair with laparotomy and postoperative computed tomography-guided drainage for mediastinal abscess and empyema. However, this treatment prolonged mechanical ventilator days and length of intensive care unit stay. Therefore, we decided to carry out primary repair with laparotomy and add lavage and drainage using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

METHODS

From April 2004 to September 2018, 18 patients with Boerhaave's syndrome were treated; 6 patients treated conservatively were excluded. Thus, 12 patients who underwent surgical treatment were divided into the computed tomography-guided drainage group (D group) (6 patients) and the lavage and drainage using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery group (VATS group) (6 patients), and the two groups were retrospectively compared.

RESULTS

The VATS group had significantly longer operation time than the D group {359 [328, 387] vs. 220 [155, 235] min, P=0.004}, but the ventilator-free days (VFDs) were significantly extended {24 [21, 24] vs. 10 [0, 17] days, P=0.02}, and the length of intensive care unit stay was significantly shortened {14 [8, 14] vs. 35 [29, 55] days, P=0.01}.

CONCLUSIONS

Lavage and drainage using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is an effective surgical method for Boerhaave's syndrome.