title: [Acute esophageal necrosis: a retrospective case series].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitário de Covilhã, Quinta do Alvito, 6000-251 Covilhã, Portugal. ruimmramos@gmail.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mascarenhas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casteleiro
mesh_terms: 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