Overview
- The patient underwent a four-hour esophageal suturing at Ospedale Santa Chiara in Trento and is now reported to be improving.
- Surgical director Alberto Brolese left his family holiday in Adria, drove roughly 200 kilometers to Trento, and received a highway police escort on the A22 after signaling the emergency.
- The diagnosis was Boerhaave syndrome, a spontaneous full-thickness rupture typically caused by forceful retching, with mortality reported near 80% without rapid treatment.
- Specialists emphasize that lentils were not uniquely to blame, noting that overeating often paired with alcohol and factors such as age, smoking, or esophageal disease raise the risk.
- The team plans to publish the rare case, highlighting the importance of swift diagnosis and experienced surgical care in outcomes.