[Acute esophageal necrosis: a retrospective case series].
BACKGROUND
Acute esophageal necrosis has been considered a rare event. It is defined as the presence of diffuse dark pigmentation of the esophagus on upper endoscopy. Its incidence has not yet been established. The pathogenesis remains unknown.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of clinical, laboratory, endoscopic, and histological data, and of the clinical course of 11 patients with acute necrotizing esophagitis was carried out over a 2-year period.


RESULTS
Among 3,976 patients who underwent upper endoscopy, 11 (0.28%) with acute esophageal necrosis were identified. Nutritional status was poor for 6 patients. Complete resolution of acute esophageal necrosis without further recurrence was observed in 4. One stricture appeared during follow-up and other patient developed new-onset acute esophageal necrosis. Seven patients died, but no death was directly related to acute esophageal necrosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of acute esophageal necrosis in our series is 0.28%. Acute esophageal necrosis is associated with high mortality rates.
Ramos
R
R
Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitário de Covilhã, Quinta do Alvito, 6000-251 Covilhã, Portugal. ruimmramos@gmail.com
Mascarenhas
J
J
Duarte
P
P
Vicente
C
C
Casteleiro
C
C
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000473:pathology*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies