[Black esophagus--case report].

BACKGROUND

Diseases of the gastrointestinal system, and especially diseases of esophagus, are a rare cause of sudden unexpected death in any age group. Black esophagus is an acute necrotizing inflammation of the mucosa of the lower parts of esophagus, diffusely affecting its entire circumference. This inflammation could be a source of profuse bleeding and cause sudden unexpected death.

METHODS

A case of 76-year-old male was presented herein. He has been treated for hypertension and diabetes for several years. As a consequence of stroke, which happened several months prior to death, he had been hemiplegic and immobilized. He died in hospital, suddenly and unexpectedly. The autopsy showed the acute necrotizing esophagitis, as well as the acute gastric and duodenal erosions of mucosa. These were the causes of fatal blood loss.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute necrotizing esophagitis should be recognized during autopsy and related to the immediate cause of death as well as to concomitant diseases of other organs, which either potentiate or facilitate presentation of this disease.