Isolated Proximal Black Esophagus in a COVID-19 Patient.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-17-2023

Publication Title

Cureus

Abstract

Black esophagus or acute esophageal necrosis (AEN) is a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding usually involving distal esophagus. Proximal esophageal involvement is quite rare. We present an 86-year-old female with active coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection who came in with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation and was started on anticoagulation. She subsequently developed a UGI bleed, which was complicated by inpatient cardiac arrest. Following resuscitation and stabilization, UGI endoscopy showed circumferential black discoloration of proximal esophagus, with distal esophageal sparing. Conservative management was instituted and fortunately, repeat UGI endoscopy two weeks later showed improvement. This describes the first case of isolated proximal AEN in a COVID-19 patient.

Volume

15

Issue

3

First Page

36311

Last Page

36311

DOI

10.7759/cureus.36311

ISSN

2168-8184

PubMed ID

37073182

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