title: A case of acute oesophageal necrosis (AEN) in a hypothermic patient. The grave prognosis of the black oesophagus.
abstract: Acute oesophageal necrosis, also known as black oesophagus, is a rare, and potentially lethal syndrome which is often diagnosed incidentally during upper endoscopy for evaluation of upper gastrointestinal bleed. It is characterised by diffuse circumferential black mucosal discolouration in the distal oesophagus secondary to necrosis that may extend proximally to involve variable length of the oesophagus. One theory of pathogenesis is that the relatively low perfusion state in the distal areas of the oesophagus makes it susceptible to mucosal injury. We present a case of acute oesophageal necrosis in a 62year-old lady with history of alcoholic cirrhosis who presented with haematemesis and severe hypothermia, and was eventually found to have acute oesophageal necrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, United States. Electronic address: george-salem@ouhsc.edu.
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Salem
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Section of Nutrition and Digestive Diseases, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, United States.
authors.forename: Sumit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahluwalia
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Section of Nutrition and Digestive Diseases, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, United States.
authors.forename: Ralph T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Guild
mesh_terms: D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006396:Hematemesis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000150:complications*; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis
keywords: Acute oesophageal necrosis; Black oesophagus; Hypothermia; Upper gastrointestinal bleed