Esophageal Necrosis

Excerpt

Acute esophageal necrosis (AEN), also known as the black esophagus, Gurvit syndrome, or acute necrotizing esophagitis, is a rare and life-threatening condition. It is characterized by either partial or total circumferential blackening of the esophagus that stops abruptly at the gastro-esophageal junction, as seen on an upper GI endoscopy. AEN was first documented in 1990 by Goldberg et al., and the exact cause remains unclear but tends to follow a pattern of acute ischemia in association with a topical insult to the esophagus.

It is strongly associated with medical comorbidities and most commonly presents between the ages of 60 and 80 in the male population. The management of AEN is primarily medical but can include surgical intervention in the event of complications such as perforation and mediastinitis. Overall mortality associated with AEN is approximately 30%; however, mortality specific to AEN is closer to 5%.